Don Cash

Don was born in Shamrock, Texas on June 27, 1942. He grew up in McLean, Texas and was the son of Billy Roy Cash and Billie Mae LISLE Cash. Don married Sondra Kay BURLESON on February 20, 1966 in Friona, Texas.

Don attended Texas Technological College (Texas Tech University) and graduated in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (PIKE). Upon graduating Don started his career in the oil and gas business in Levelland, Texas working for Amoco. In the following 10 years at Amoco, He and Kay moved to Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, IL, Oklahoma City, OK and Denver, CO. Their only son, Clay Collin Cash was born in Oklahoma City, OK on May 19, 1973.

In 1977, Don and his family moved to Salt Lake City, UT to become the Vice President of Exploration and Drilling for Mountain Fuel Supply Co. which later became Questar Corp.in 1984. In 1985, R. Don Cash was named President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Questar Corp.

During his career with Questar, Don served as a director of Zions Bancorporation, National Fuel Gas, TODCO, Associated Electric and Gas Insurance Services (AEGIS), and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

In 1993, Don was awarded the Distinguished Alumni award by Texas Tech University.

Cash also served as a former trustee of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002, the organization responsible for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

In 2003, Don was given the “Giant in our City” by The Salt Lake City, UT Chamber of Commerce. Don also received an honorary Doctorate from Southern Utah University.

Don retired from Questar in 2005 and moved to Lubbock, Texas to get back to his cowboy roots and become a rancher. Don proceeded to buy land and start a cow-calf operation near Post, Texas with his son, Clay.

During “retirement”, Don served on the board of directors of the Ranching Heritage Association, a non-profit organization established to preserve the heritage of the ranching industry in North America through the support of the National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University. This was a cause that he loved and believed in with his whole heart. He truly believed that the best morals, values and ideals of the United States of America could be found in Cowboys and the Cowboy way of life!

Don also served on the Texas Tech Foundation Board twice; from 2002-2011, serving as Chairman from 2009-2011 and again from 2015 – 2019. In June 2021, he was named the first, honorary emeritus director in recognition of his commitment to the board.

Don loved God, the United States of America, his family, and giving back to his communities. Don and Kay loved Texas Tech University and believed that education was the most important thing for our society. Over the past 24 years the Cash Family Foundation has impacted 21 entities in the Texas Tech University System including endowments in Scholarships, Professorships, athletics, research, buildings and capital campaigns. Don & Kay were inducted into the Spur Society in 2013. Don’s love of Texas Tech University will not die with him but will continue to be seen for years thru the legacy he leaves behind!

Don loved his family & friends and being outdoors. He could regularly be found floating in an ocean, fishing, golfing or hunting with family & friends. And, given a good bottle of single-malt scotch, telling tall tales about family & friends!

Don is survived by his wife, Sondra Kay BURLESON Cash, one son, Clay Collin Cash, his daughter-in-love, Ashley Elizabeth BOWES Cash, and three grandsons, Collin Coble Cash, Cannon Coble Cash and Carson Coble Cash, all of Lubbock, Texas.

The family would like to invite their friends to celebrate the life of R. Don Cash on Friday, September 6 from 5:30-8:30 at the National Ranching Heritage Museum (3121 4th Street, Lubbock, Texas). Don will be interred at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Lubbock, Texas on Saturday, September 7th in a small family service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the National Ranching Heritage Association at http://www.bit.ly/doncashfund