Earl Godfrey Donaldson, Sr.

Earl Godfrey Donaldson, Sr. convened at Heaven’s gates on July 30th, 2024, in Atlanta, though it is possible he is still in God’s driveway discussing theology with Saint Peter. He was born at Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia on July 16, 1938, to William Eugene “Gene” Donaldson and Willie Mae Simpson Donaldson. Earl grew up on a ten-acre farm in Chamblee, GA, learning to hunt, and acquiring a lifetime love of gardening. As a youth, his family took annual weeklong vacations to Daytona Beach, where he fell in love with the ocean and fishing from piers. In 1956, Earl graduated from Chamblee High School where he lettered in football and served as President of Future Farmers of America, earning public speaking awards.

Initially attending the University of Georgia, he transferred to Asbury College, in Wilmore, KY. At Asbury, he met the love of his life, Patricia Colquhoun. She was the school nurse, as well as a student, and Earl became a frequent visitor to the clinic. They were married in Estes Chapel at Asbury Seminary in August, 1959 and were blessed with nearly 65 years together. Earl graduated from Asbury College in 1960 with a BA in Speech and Rhetoric.

Earl and Patricia served briefly as missionaries in Cuba, and even talked of seeing Fidel Castro at a baseball game. Later, Earl served as a Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church in congregations in North and South Dakota (Wesleyan Church) and in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1995, Earl fulfilled a lifetime dream when he graduated from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology with a Master of Divinity.

Most of his adult life Earl taught communication classes, first with the Dale Carnegie Course, later developing his own course called Breakout. Those fortunate to attend one of his classes spoke highly of the freedom and confidence they gained in life and relationships. Earl even created a class just for his grandchildren. Earl was a writer, reader, teacher, and more than anything a provocatively spiritual person and deep thinker. In 2012, Earl authored a fictional story expressing his theology in a book called, “The Good Life: A Fresh Look at the Religion of Jesus.” He had an impeccable knack for getting others to consider the world in new ways. In his sermons and Sunday School classes, discussions centered around a question that often caught everyone off guard and required all to look beyond the surface.

Earl loved to play cards (especially Whist and Pinochle) and would only tolerate one type of interruption - a lively discussion of ethics, religion, or a similar topic. Earl studied civil war history, building a collection of biographies on Abraham Lincoln, along with memorizing key speeches from other eras of military leaders such as Generals MacArthur and Patton – reciting their words alongside Romans 8 through his last days. Instead of ‘goodbye’ he would say ‘THINK’ with Patton-like authority as every child and grandchild would head out the door.

Earl loved his family. He took his children and grandchildren on walks around the Donaldson-Bannister farm in Dunwoody, where his father was born. He was proud of the places where he grew up, and the people who shared his journey. Earl’s legacy is reflected in the lives of his four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He proudly shared their accomplishments in his Christmas letter, mailed out to friends and family every December. He would tell wonderful stories of the adventures he shared with his wife, Patricia, going to camp meetings, white water rafting, cruising the Caribbean and the Alaskan coast, and completing at least 25 Atlanta Peachtree Road Races.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents and his grandson, Andrew D’Alessandro. He is survived by his devoted wife of sixty-four years and 11 months, Patricia; his brother William (Bill) E. Donaldson Jr. (Marvelle); children Colleen Donaldson, Earl Donaldson, Jr., John (Lori) Donaldson, and David Donaldson (Michael Daly), grandchildren James (Danielle) Donaldson, Daniel Donaldson (Kun Wang), Anna D’Alessandro, Maggie Donaldson (Brianna Courchene), Thomas (Jordan) Donaldson, Nathan Donaldson, and Lucy Carter (Gray), and great-grandchildren Jaqueline and Charlotte Donaldson.

About fifteen years ago, Earl came to know the Holy Spirit in a more personal way, as Gus, the God of his understanding. From that time on, Earl began his days and his meals by toasting his closest friend, Gus, and thanking him for all he had done. In remembrance of Earl, the family asks that you take a moment to toast ‘Gus,’ however you define the provider of the good and beautiful things in this world.

The family asks in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, who maintains the Donaldson-Bannister Farm as a public park and gathering place for those who also love history and who will write the next chapter. As Earl would say – think.

Funeral Service: Saturday, August 3, 2024, 11:00 a.m.

Dunwoody United Methodist Church Chapel, 1548 Mount Veron Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338

Reception at the Donaldson-Bannister Farm, 4831 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA, 30338

Link for donations to the Donaldson-Bannister Farm here. (https://dunwoodypreservationtrust.org/donate_now/)