Donald Wayne Black

Donald Wayne Black, age 89, of Centerville, Ohio passed away on Friday, August 22, 2025. Visitation will be held Saturday, September 6, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Hill Crest Memorial Chapel, 601 Hwy 80, Haughton, Louisiana, followed by a a celebration of life at 10:00 AM, officiated by Pastor Jeff Harper. A graveside service with military honors will follow, conducted by Dr. Randy Harper.

Donald was born on November 6, 1935 in Jonesboro, Louisiana to William “Guy” and Myrtie Irene Black. He graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1953, where he was a member of the baseball, volleyball, and the Louisiana State Champion basketball team. Donald also attained the distinction of Eagle Scout Order of The Arrow while in high school.

In 1957, he graduated with a BA in Speech and Journalism from Louisiana Tech University. Following graduation, he served 2 years in the United States Army, and was later recalled during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Louisiana Tech to earn his teaching certification. In 1959, he married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Black, and then began his teaching career at Morgan City High School. They moved to Bossier City in 1970, where Donald was a speech teacher and counselor at Haughton High School for numerous years before becoming the Assistant Principal at Princeton Middle School. After retiring in 1997, he and Maxine spent several years traveling, mainly on bus tours. Some of his favorite places he visited were Nova Scotia, New England, and The Grand Canyon. During football season, he was in the stands on Friday nights cheering on his son, Kevin, and the teams he helped coach: Bossier High School then Parkway High School.

There was nothing more important to Donald than his faith and family. He was a proud member and former deacon of Bellaire Baptist Church and also a member of The Gideons. He would brag about his four grandchildren, his pride and joy, anytime he could work it into a conversation. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and loved watching all LSU sports.

Donald was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 61 years, Lois Maxine Black, his best friend and son, Kevin Black, and his parents.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter Vicki Ball (husband Joe) of Centerville, Ohio; brother Gary Black (wife Cindy) of Jonesboro, Louisiana, his grandchildren: Erin Ball of Columbus, Ohio, and Allie Ball of Hamilton, Ohio; Ryan Black (wife Madisen) of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Katie Black, and their mother Stacey Black of Bossier City, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Joseph Ball, Ryan Black, Brad Black, Todd Walker, Jeff Boutwell, and James Deason.

The family would like to thank Dr. Kennedy Lim and his staff at Willis Knighton Bossier for years of care, the staff at Trinity Community of Beavercreek Assisted Living and Fast Track Rehab in Beavercreek, Ohio, and the staff of Ohio’s Hospice. Your kind and compassionate care was greatly appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at T2T.org (http://t2t.org/), or to the Gideons at globalchristianrelief.org (http://globalchristianrelief.org/).