Donald G. Roper passed away April 8, 2020. He was born October 4, 1926, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Keith and Lela Mabry Roper. He graduated from Pueblo Junior College with an Associate’s degree in engineering and then joined the Army Air Corp during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Denver where he received a Bachelor of Arts in communications and met Lynita Edgar, whom he married on June 6, 1950.
Don worked for radio stations in Kansas and Pueblo before returning to school in 1952 at the University of Colorado, Boulder. While in school he worked for KBOL and broadcast CU sporting events. In 1955, he received a Juris Doctorate and passed the bar with a score in the top 10. He went to work in the Land Department at Texaco in Denver. He continued to work for Texaco in Casper, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans and Coral Gables, Florida. He retired in1986 as head of Negotiations and Contracts for Latin America and West Africa and vice president of 41 Texaco affiliates. Don and Lynita returned to Houston in 1986 and moved to College Station in 2004.
Don was active in church all of his life, teaching Sunday School and holding many administrative positions. Most recently he enjoyed being a greeter at Christ United Methodist Church. He played quarterback on his junior college football team and was a center on the basketball team. He loved attending his sons’ and grandsons’ sporting events and Aggie sports. Playing golf was a lifelong passion. Hobbies included reading, walking, playing tennis and playing bridge, and he traveled to all 50 states and more than 40 countries.
Don was preceded in death by his parents and sister, LaVerne Hollapeter.
He leaves behind his wife of almost 70 years, Lynita, and his four children and their spouses, Tris (Maria), Doni (Steve), Kerry (Debbie) and Lori. He is also survived by sisters, Winnie Callaway, Shirley Selvey and Sylvia Minton; grandchildren, Bryan, Matthew and Lynita Roper and Amy (Mike) Maginness; and great-grandchildren, David and Katie Maginness; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He will be interred at Memorial Cemetery of College Station on Monday. A memorial service will be scheduled later.
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