Donald Eugene Redden

Donald Eugene Redden was born on December 9, 1937 to Arvil and Cleo Redden in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He attended Quinton Oklahoma High School and Eastern Oklahoma A&M College where he majored in business. It was during a sock hop in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that he spied the pretty girl, Dorothy Gragg, across the room who quickly became unforgettable - they had a real date the next week, married within 3 weeks and shared a full life until his death 68 years later.

Don began his work life at Unit Parts Company in 1958 and continued in the rebuilt automotive aftermarket business for over 60 years. Don and Dorothy moved to Jackson, Mississippi in 1967 with their young daughter Malinda where Don took his territorial sales position. He and Dorothy later owned a parts store chain, Tiger Parts and he ended his work career at age 85 as the senior salesman for AJW out of Boaz, Alabama. At his retirement it was noted that he could “put Dale Carnegie to shame in being a motivation and inspiration to everyone who comes in contact with Don.”

Beyond Don’s career he found great joy in golf, deep- sea fishing, a good Scotch and soda, a game of gin rummy, day-trading and hosting parties at his beloved Eagle Lake boat house. He loved traveling the world by car or airplane or boat with Dorothy. He was a great dancer and raconteur. He once picked up a snake innocently sunning itself on the course at Live Oaks Golf Club just to show his golf buddies he could. Don was hospitalized but survived the snake bite - the cottonmouth did not.

He will be remembered for his easy charm, his fierce love for his family, his love of smoking a cigar on the porch with his son Gene, wearing beautiful hats usually a fedora, reading nonfiction books on American history, watching Atlanta Braves baseball (often recording and rewatching the same game several times!), and Ole Miss, OU (Boomer Sooners) and Dallas Cowboys football. Hopefully there’s a very large steak and a chocolate pie awaiting him in Heaven.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, his sister and brother-in-law Bonnie and Eddie Monarch and his son-in-law, Jim Warren. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Dorothy, his favorite daughter, Malinda and his favorite son, Gene (Tina) and beloved granddaughter, Caroline Walden (Arthur); beloved step-grandsons Luke Warren, Jake (Jean) Warren, Matt (Melissa) Warren, John Mychal Warren and his precious great grandchildren Ridgway and Wright (Spiderman), Harriet and Everett. He is also survived by his sister Arvella (Larry) Stephenson and his sister Renee (John) Martin and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to a charity of your choice.

The family would also like to extend their gratitude to the staff and administration of Summerhouse Beau Ridge for their care over the last 10 months of Don’s life.