Posted by Marion (M.G.) Williams Jr., '66 on January 14, 2026:

I did not know this classmate at West Point. But he was active on a class chat group called The Forum. There, his posts were bold. Like lightning bolts tossed down by some god. He lived in El Paso for years, taught school. And as I was going there to visit my Border Patrol son and family. That son dropped me off at his place. In person, he greeted me warmly, and we broke bread. We chatted amiably into late evening. In person he proved not to be the fire-breather I'd pretty much expected, but a thoughtful, well-informed, and entirely reasonable person. My impression was that he had not been in direct contact with a classmate for many years, he'd just settled into a good life with his wife - who spoke no English. I meant to see him again on a later trip but that didn't work out - he had a lung disease, COPD that had progressed - though he was still at home. He worryingly vanished from the Forum after a time, and a message left on the phone was unanswered. And after a further time, I looked up the local newspaper. And found his cadet photo and obituary. The disease had claimed him. He donated his body to science. And was buried a year and a half later at Fort Bliss. You are remembered, Don.

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