Obituary for Rev Donald Wayne Nunn

Funeral services for Rev. Donald Wayne Nunn will be at 2:00 pm Monday, February 10, 2020, at Elmira Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church Longview with the Rev. James Cantey, Rev. Earlene Branstetter and Rev. Cindy Barton officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday, February 9, 2020 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Rader Funeral Home, Longview. Rev. Nunn passed away on February 5, 2020 in Longview.

He was born on February 21, 1934 in Center, Kentucky to Carlos Edward and Kathleen Trent Nunn. He graduated from Hart Memorial High School in Horse Cave, KY. After high school graduation, he enrolled in Bethel College (now Bethel University) in McKenzie, TN and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He was awarded a Master of Divinity degree in 1969 from Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN.

On February 25, 1955, Rev. Nunn accepted the call to the ministry and was ordained on April 15, 1959 by Cumberland Presbytery at Seven Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Edmonton, KY. During his many years in the ministry, he pastored the Rose Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Madisonville, KY, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Warren, Michigan, Grace Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN, Walnut Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Burlison, TN, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Kenton, TN, St. John Cumberland Presbyterian Church, White Oak, TX, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Fort Smith, AR, St. John Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Arlington, TX, Antioch Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Quitman, LA, Pine Tree Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Longview, TX, and Stated Supply Pastor, New Journey Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Longview, TX.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carlos and Kathleen Nunn and daughter Kathy Nunn Moody. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Helen Lindsey Nunn, daughter Donna Nunn Flannery and husband Brent of Plano, TX, granddaughter Ashley Partain and husband Michael of Plano, TX, grandson Chris Moody and wife Molly of Nacogdoches, TX, granddaughter Halie Moody of Kilgore, TX, great-grandchildren Thaxton and Ellis Moody and Elena Partain, sister Carol Corrington of Chattanooga, TN, niece Dr. Suzanne Corrington and husband Dr. Leonard Hays of Chattanooga, TN, nephew Will Corrington of Sugarland, TX, cousins Earlene Branstetter and wife Connie of Hardyville, KY, Tammie Branstetter of Glasgow, KY, Phillip Trent and wife Linda of Horse Cave, KY, Dixie Trent of Huntsville, AL and Mildred Nunn of Horse Cave, KY.

Rev. Nunn enjoyed many years of volunteer service including serving as volunteer Chaplain at Mt. Clemens General Hospital, Mt. Clemens, MI, Good Shepherd Medical Center, Longview, TX and Longview Regional Medical Center, Longview, TX. While living in Arkansas, Rev. Nunn served in the Hospice Grief Recovery program with the Area Agency on Aging of Fort Smith. Don especially enjoyed 21 years of volunteer service as a chaplain with the Civil Air Patrol. Rev. Nunn was an instrument rated pilot and flew many search and rescue missions with Cadets searching for missing airplanes.

Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice Longview, American Cancer Society or a charity of your choice. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the support of many friends especially Pricilla and Cara with Heart to Heart Hospice.

From the Communications Ministry Team of the Denomination

The Reverend Donald Wayne Nunn

(Trinity Presbytery) died February 5, 2020, after a struggle with cancer. Don was born February 21, 1934, in Center, Metcalf County, Kentucky, to Carlos Edward Nunn and Kathleen Trent. He was baptized by the Reverend V.A. Jones in July 1948, and joined Joyner’s Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Cumberland Presbytery), Hardyville, Kentucky.

Don attended Kentucky public schools in Louisville, Center, and Hardyville before enrolling in Bethel College (McKenzie, Tennessee) in 1954. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1959 and entered the Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary, then also in McKenzie. Before Don finished his theological studies, the seminary moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and was renamed Memphis Theological Seminary. Don was awarded a Master of Divinity degree from MTS in 1969.

Don came under the care of Cumberland Presbytery in 1955, was licensed in 1957, and ordained in 1959. The Reverend Calvin Mouser preached his ordination sermon and the Reverend V.A. Jones delivered the charge.

Donn married Helen Lindsey of Leitchfield, Kentucky, on October 8, 1956. They had two daughters, Donna Maureen and Kathy Lynn.

Besides Cumberland Presbytery, at various times Don held membership in Obion, Princeton, Indiana, Memphis, Caddo, Porter, Red River, and Trinity Presbyteries. He began his pastoral ministry as stated supply for the Poplar Grove/Woodward’s Chapel parish in 1958. He also pastored Rose Creek (Nebo, Kentucky), Warren First Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Warren, Michigan), Grace (Memphis, Tennessee), Walnut Grove (Burlison, Tennessee), Kenton First (Kenton, Tennessee), Saint John (White Oak, Texas) where he was the founding pastor, Fort Smith First (Fort Smith, Arkansas), and Mission Ridge (Arlington, Texas). Prior to being called to a full-time pastorate in Kenton, Don was also a teacher.

Beginning in 1971, Don was a chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol.

Paula Hayes (Trinity Presbytery): “Don was my minister at St. Johns CPC in White Oak, Texas, and I will never forget the day of my ordination as an elder. At the laying on of hands, he spoke into my ear, ‘After all these years in the ministry, you are the first woman I have ever ordained.’ We talked later and I told him that, by sharing those words, he had made a special day truly unforgettable. Our friendship continued through the years and I treasure the many times he would suddenly appear at the door of my office just to visit for a while. He always had a story to share that would cheer my day and we would usually end up laughing.”