Don William DeColaines

He was born February 4, 1947 in Montpelier, Vermont to Don Jr. and Jeanette (Odle) DeColaines. He is survived by his wife, Nan Wilkes DeColaines. Also surviving is his sister, Priscilla Jones; a niece and nephew, Adrienne Jones and Boyd Jones of Texas; sister-in-law, Claire Majors of Claxton; a niece, Kristan and a great-niece, Claire Chilcoat of Atlanta; and a son, Jonathan D. DeColaines of Columbia, SC.

Don was a long time resident of North High Shoals, where he lived since leaving the Augusta area when he and Nan married in 1993. He previously lived in South Carolina, but he grew up in McKinney, Texas, where his mother was a native, and he considered himself a true Texan. He received his B.S. in Psychology and Sociology in 1971 from East Texas State University at Commerce, Texas, where he played two years of varsity golf. He did his M.S. training at East Texas State University and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas and at the University of South Carolina, Columbia SC. He had over 1000 hours of post-graduate training in Life Care Planning, Traumatic/Acquired Brain Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries, Traumatic Burn Injuries, Vocational Evaluation and Catastrophic Injury Case Management. He was a member of Pi Kappa Phi National Social Fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. He worked as a Rehabilitation Case Manager/Catastrophic Injury Supplier/Vocational Expert through his firm DeColaines & Associates, Inc. and as a Vocational Expert for the Social Security Administration from 1987 until his death.

A man of many passions, he loved golf and was a Rules Official with the Georgia State Golf Association. His true love was training the youngest golfers in the appropriate rules of golf and watching them grow into fine adult golfers. He believed in doing all things well and according to the rules. Additionally, he enjoyed cooking and barbecuing, entertaining his friends, working in his shop, reading, and most recently bike riding. Known for his love of animals, he always wanted a big dog, one as big as he was. He was a member of the Bishop United Methodist Church where he was a youth mentor for preparation for baptism. He was incredibly generous to his friends and family, loved them all passionately and had a wonderful sense of humor and a mischievous sparkle. He was much beloved by everyone who knew him. His sense of caring and warmth felt like the warmth of the wood stove he so lovingly tended for all his friends.

His wish was to be cremated and his ashes scattered on the Julienton River on the Georgia Coast. His cemetery marker is in the Wilkes family plot at Christ Church on St. Simons Island, Georgia.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 3 at 11 a.m. at The Portico Study Center, 5822 Highway 186, Good Hope, Georgia, to celebrate his life and his 71st birthday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bishop United Methodist Church Benevolent Fund, 1080 Old Bishop Road, Bishop, Georgia 30621.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.