Donald Wayne Sensabaugh

Don was the eldest of 4 children of his parents Clyde and Dorothy (French) Sensabaugh from Avon,Illinois (who has preceded him in death) on the family farm which he loved. Following graduation and having to leave the family farm, he proudly served his country as an enlisted solider and participated in combat for two years in Korea.

Once he returned to his family he soon became engaged to his high school sweetheart Dixie Lee Johnson where she led him to the Lord and where they were subsequently baptized together at Greenbush Christian Church. He would later say that this was a pivotal time in his life and was the foundation of their marriage on June 23, 1956. Don and Dixie then started their family of three daughters with the eldest being Debra Sensabaugh White (now of Nacogdoches) and her daughter Shelby White Dean (with husband Nate Dean) of Tyler, Tx., secondly Diana Sensabaugh Hendrick (and husband Larry Hendrick) of Springfield, Mo. and children all residing around Sparta, Mo. Jeremiah Roller with wife Brandy and 5 daughters, Justin Roller and wife Amber with their two children, Joanna Roller and her son Gabriel. Don and Dixie farmed which then morphed into ranching as well as Dixie working as an RN in many different capacities and specializing in critical care/trauma care nursing.

Their marriage was a partnership from the beginning while raising Quarter Horses and Charlois cattle that later turned into the largest Beefmaster Cattle ranch once they moved to the Ozarks in Mo. Retirement took them to Springfield, Mo. where Don began his knife making business along with he and Dixie volunteering at the Springfield Homeless Shelter/Kitchen as well as a ministry where they took quilts and supplies to a specific Native American tribe to support a missionary there.

Throughout the years at every church they were members of they ministered through demonstrating hospitality for big groups with bon fires, and generosity and their family reunions.

Their next move took them even further south to Nacogdoches in 2015, where they got to enjoy the rest of their family. After one year of residence in Tx. Dixie went to heaven in 2016 after a battle with cancer. After over 2 years of being a widower, he married Brenda Hurley and continued his happy, healthy life with a new wife and new excitement as they traveled the U.S. and continued service at their church First Christian in Nacogdoches and enjoying their respective families. Don will be remembered for his kind heart, positive demeanor and his futuristic ideas as he and his buds share a great cigar around their fire pit, shot guns at Meadowridge or assisted cooking at church while serving as a deacon at FCC also. His life was an incredible example of a Godly man, loving his family and having ethics, morals, patriotism, loyalty, and loving to laugh. He has evidenced that his greatest joy in life was seeing especially the women in his life happy. Don’s presence with his gray Stetson hat, boots and vests will be missed. He would say he was grateful for the immense love of his family, great friends and loving two extraordinary women that made his life fun, purposeful and satisfying.

A celebration of life for Donald will be held Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 11:00 AM at First Christian Church, Nacogdoches, Texas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com for the Sensabaugh family.