Donald P. Brotherman

born on January 13, 1936, in San Antonio, Texas. He attended college at Assumption Seminary

and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio where he graduated “Summa Cum Laude” with a major

in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He attended medical school at the University of Texas

Medical Branch in Galveston, where he met the sweetest and kindest girl in the world, Cherry

Minjares, RN. They were married June 22, 1963, and have been happily married ever since.

While in medical school, he was elected to the Mu Delta honorary medical society and was

awarded the McLaughlin Student Fellowship Award for his research on meningitis. He received

his MD degree in 1964, and together with his wife and infant daughter Pam, spent a year of

internship at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco. He then spent three years in the Army

in Germany, attaining the rank of Major. During this time, their second daughter, Debbie, was

born. After his military service was complete, the family moved to Dallas in 1968, where Don

completed his residency in Ophthalmology at Southwestern Medical school in 1971. During his

residency, two more children were born, Becky and Michael.

He practiced ophthalmology for over 30 years with Dr. William Phelps, and then, in order to slow

down, transitioned to part-time with his son-in-law, Dr. George Moninger, MD. Don is a

past-president of the Dallas Academy of Ophthalmology. He has also served as the president of

the medical staff at RHD Medical Center and has been an Associate Clinical Professor of

Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. During his professional

life, he has published medical articles in several national journals and has served as a

Consultant in Ophthalmology and Medical Monitor for Alcon Laboratories in Fort Worth.

He and his wife have been involved with their Catholic Church in every phase of their lives. Don

has been a Eucharistic minister, chaired various committees, served as a lector, and sang in the

choir. They have served on the school board at St. Paul’s school, and Don served as president

of the parish advisory council for a year. He is a member of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, as

well as a Knight of Malta. Both he and his wife have been active in at least ten foreign missions,

bringing ophthalmic medical care to the poor in several countries over the years. In 2011, he

was named the outstanding specialty physician of the year for his volunteer work with Project

Access, a community service sponsored by the Dallas Medical Society.

During his life, Don enjoyed traveling with his family, photography, golf, and gardening. His

photography skills earned him the name of “PaPa-razzi”. Don enjoyed his weekly golf outings

with his friends and spending time with his family. A beloved “Papa” to his fourteen

grandchildren, Don always made time to support their various activities. He was known for his

secret messages in Easter Eggs, birthday songs, and elaborate Christmas celebrations. Don

taught his family the importance of faith and love and modeled it with his life. His greatest

treasures in life were his Church and his close-knit family.

Don is survived by his wife of 58 years, Cherry Minjares Brotherman, daughters Pam and her

husband, George; Debbie and her husband, Donovon “Chris’ Farver; Becky, and her husband,

Jeff; and son, Michael and his wife Amy, as well as 14 grandchildren

and one great-granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother, Lelan.

A rosary service for Donald will be held Wednesday, March 24, 2021from 6:00-6:30 PM at Ted

Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush Turnpike, Dallas. A visitation will

follow from 6:30-8:00. A funeral mass will occur Thursday, March 25, 2021, from 11:00 AM to

12:00 PM at All Saints Catholic Church, 75248. The mass will be livestreamed. A graveside

service will occur Thursday, March 25, 2021, from 1:00-2:00 at Restland Memorial Park, 9220

Restland Rd, Dallas, Tx 75248.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Don Brotherman Memorial Scholarship Fund benefiting students at All Saints Catholic School. Checks can be made to All Saints Catholic School and mailed to 7777 Osage Plaza Pkwy, Dallas, Tx. 75252 or https://www.allsaintsdallas.org/homepage-all-saints-catholic-school/support-all-saints/