Samuel Donaldson Obituary

DONALDSON, JR., S. CMSGT Samuel T. "Sam" Donaldson, Jr. USAF (Ret), 69, husband of Joyce Marleen Hilliker Donaldson of Mount Pleasant, SC, passed away on Sunday, December 21, 2008 at the Medical University of South Carolina, surrounded by his loving family. The relatives and friends of Sam Donaldson are invited to attend his Memorial Service on Sunday, December 28, 2008 in Hibben United Methodist Church at 3:00 pm. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR, MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL. The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 27, 2008 in the Stuhr's Mount Pleasant Chapel from 6:00 until 8:00 pm. Sam was born November 25, 1939 in Charleston, South Carolina, son of the late Samuel Townley Donaldson, Sr. and Dorothy Chesney Donaldson. He graduated from William Moultrie High School, received his Bachelor's Degree from the Baptist College of Charleston and his Master's Degree from Central Michigan University. He led a distinguished career in the United States Air Force for 22 years, retiring in 1979 as a Chief Master Sergeant. His service to the country included duty in Spain, Southeast Asia and Alaska. Stateside assignments included South Carolina, Florida and Minnesota. After his Air Force retirement, Sam was employed at the Charleston Naval Shipyard until its closing, at which time he went to work at the Charleston VA Hospital from where he retired in 1997. He was of the Methodist faith and was a member of Hibben United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant. He did volunteer work with the Hibben Relief Center and enjoyed carpentry work as a hobby. Sam volunteered with the Cub Scouts and until his illness, worked with the Cub Scouts of Pack 40 at Hibben and volunteered at the Boy Scout office in Charleston. He earned his Eagle Scout award from Troop 20 of Mt. Pleasant in 1956 and was also an Order of the Arrow scout. Sam was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joyce Donaldson of Mt. Pleasant, SC; daughters, Deborah Tulk and Candi Huge and her husband, Chris, both of Mt. Pleasant, SC; grandchildren, Brian and Christopher Holbrook, Sarah Doll, Evan and Corey Dopson, all of Mt. Pleasant, SC; sisters-in-law, Shirley Strong and her husband, Gilbert, and Patricia Williams and her husband, Robert, both of New York; brother-in-law, Robert Crowley and his wife, Charlene, of California; many cousins and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Samuel T. Donaldson, III, his parents Townley and Dorothy Donaldson, his sister, Dorothy Sidney Crowley and sister-in-law, Audrey Kinney and her husband, Russell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hibben United Methodist Church, 690 Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 or MUSC Transplant center, 162 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29424. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website www.jhenrystuhr.com Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.