Donald E. “Donnie” Jenkins

October 5, 1946 to December 21, 2025

Donnie Jenkins was raised in Buchanan, Michigan by his Aunt Polly where he learned to be a highly skilled and strong man, who was an excellent provider and an innovative and motivated self-starter.

To Donnie, rare attributes such as strength, loyalty, kindness, commitment, and friendship were the things that mattered most. He taught it every day through his living example.

Donnie served in the United States Army. He was an M16 sharpshooter and demolition expert, receiving a Purple Heart for his exemplary service from 1966 to 1967 during the Vietnam War.

Donnie’s many gifts and skills followed him into a successful career as a police officer in Florida, and then on to Houston as a Nasa Special Ops hazard materials inspector.

On April 25, 1990, Donnie married the love of his life, Janice, and welcomed her daughter Lisa and eventually husband Dion Laurent and her son Travis and eventually his wife and daughter Dannita and Alyssa. He loved his family with great love and was always so actively involved in what mattered to them and their lives. His dearest and most beloved extended family Josh, Christine, and Danny. This blended family has walked through life together and weathered many storms – Donnie blazing the trail as the brave and fearless father and grandfather.

Donnie retired from Nasa to a life of absolute adventure in 2009. With his partner by his side, Donnie and Jan embraced the world with many memorable cruises, traveling extensively, and sharing their time between their houseboat in Tennessee, and their home in Houston, Texas.

With the same dedication that Donnie worked in his career, he built a rich and full life of friends and church where they relished in his warmth, his willingness to quickly forgive, his incredible generosity and thoughtfulness toward others, and his passion for justice and the truth above all.

Donnie was passionate about his salvation and would readily share the love of God through salvation in Jesus Christ wherever he went. He was always willing to help out a fellow believer struggling through life’s rough patches with the wise counsel and listening ear that he so readily shared.

Donnie was highly competitive at board games, he loved an evening out at a great restaurant, he had a sweet tooth, he was a weapons enthusiast from his days in the army, and he was incredibly handy, building and fixing whenever the situation required.

Donnie and Jan welcomed Donnie’s birth son into their lives in 2023 with incredible grace and open arms. Donald M. Skees, III was born September 6, 1971 during the incredible physical aftermath of Donnie’s service to the United States Army. The Lord allowed their paths to cross again at a special time in both their lives and Donald is committed to carrying on the legacy his father left of being a defender and protector of his father’s family and his many great loves.

Donnie is preceded in death by his father and mother, Donald Edwin Jenkins and Helen B. Densmore.

Donnie ultimately gave his life to his country on December 21, 2025 passing from injuries related to his service during the Vietnam War.