Thursday, January 11, 2007
Fireman Box - Fire Safety Demo to Nurses
Donald Lyndon "Fireman Box"
My dad, Donald L. Box of 606 Lone Oak, Rusk, TX passed away at 3:00PM on Friday, January 5 2007. My mother Mattie Lee Box and I were at his bedside when he drifted on peacefully in his sleep. He was a colorful, wonderful man of God. His obituary follows:
Donald Lyndon Box, life-long fire fighter, Christian servant, and raconteur (great story teller), died Friday, January 5, in Rusk, Texas, at the age of 91. Before he retired in 1980 after 33 years with the Fort Worth Fire Department, school children throughout the city knew him as “Fireman Box” for his lively safety demonstrations.
Baptized in a country creek by evangelist Foy E. Wallace at the age of 10, Mr. Box served as a deacon in every church he attended before he moved to Rusk in 1989. He served as an elder of the Rusk Church of Christ for over a decade.
Born May 13, 1915, in Dublin, Texas, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp as a fire fighter in 1933. While attending North Texas State Teachers College from 1935 to 1939, he volunteered in the Denton Fire Department. He became fire chief at North American Aviation in 1941. During World War II, he served as a fire fighter in the U. S. Army Air Force at Love Field, then in the U. S. Army at Fort Hood until the war ended.
He served as a fire fighter for 17 years in the Fort Worth Fire Department before he took on the role of fire safety officer for schools, hospitals, rest homes, church schools, and day care centers. His photo often appeared in the Fort Worth Star Telegram with his faithful Dalmatian dog Cinderella Sparky, who helped with his demonstrations.
Trained in carpentry by his father, Mr. Box bought many old homes for his family and re-modeled and sold them to supplement his salary as a fire fighter and support his large family.
After retiring in 1980, he and his wife Mattie opened Romance Antiques near Romance, AR. They sold the store in 1989 and traveled in eight states, conducting antique shows while operating booths in antique malls in Little Rock, Palestine, and Rusk.
Known for his large family, Mr. Box was a strong family man and loved to brag about his eight children and tell stories about his ancestors’ escapades in moving through the southern states to settle in Texas.
A lover of people, Mr. Box made friends almost instantly wherever he went, from the grocery store clerk or gas station attendant to neighbors and church visitors. He was notorious for making his wife and children wait in the car during trips while he carried on a long visit with someone he had just met while asking directions or making a purchase.
Always active in church wherever he lived, he taught Bible classes, visited the sick and lonely, drove people to church services, conducted evangelistic training sessions, participated in mission outreaches, kept orphans and needy children in his home, and adopted an abandoned deaf child. After moving to Rusk at the age of 75, he and his wife continued to visit the sick and elderly until prevented in the last two years due to failing health.
He is survived by his wife of almost 68 years, Mattie Box of Rusk; eight children, Ramona Gililland of Smithville, Don “Mickey” Box of Hurst, Marquita Moss of Austin, Melany Shook of Arlington; Tahna Cody of Douglas, Jon Lee Box of Chantilly, VA; Camille Moore of Buderim, Australia; and Gayle “Dorene” Garza of Ringgold, GA; sons-in-law Gary Moss, John Bob Cody, John Moore, and Chano Garza; daughter-in-law Lynn Box; 22 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; a sister Gene Maikell of Austin, two brothers, Madison Box of Midland and Johnny Box of Fort Worth, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Zola Box, sisters Doreen Box and Loquita Cabe, brother Joseph T. Box, son-in-law Lyndel Gililland, daughter-in-law Jan Box, and grandchildren Robert Gililland and Camille Box.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at the Rusk Church of Christ. His sons (Jon Lee and Don Michael Box) and sons-in-law (John Bob Cody and Gary Moss) conducted the service. Burial was in the Douglas Cemetery.
His grandsons Chris Box of Hurst, Terry Shook of Kemp, John Caleb Cody of Nacogdoches, Zach Cody of Denton, Sydney Moore of Australia, and Taylor, Geoffrey, and Daniel Box of Chantilly, VA, served as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Brentwood Christian School, 11908 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 78753. The elders and deacons of the Rusk Church of Christ also served as honorary pallbearers.
Donald Lyndon Box, life-long fire fighter, Christian servant, and raconteur (great story teller), died Friday, January 5, in Rusk, Texas, at the age of 91. Before he retired in 1980 after 33 years with the Fort Worth Fire Department, school children throughout the city knew him as “Fireman Box” for his lively safety demonstrations.
Baptized in a country creek by evangelist Foy E. Wallace at the age of 10, Mr. Box served as a deacon in every church he attended before he moved to Rusk in 1989. He served as an elder of the Rusk Church of Christ for over a decade.
Born May 13, 1915, in Dublin, Texas, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp as a fire fighter in 1933. While attending North Texas State Teachers College from 1935 to 1939, he volunteered in the Denton Fire Department. He became fire chief at North American Aviation in 1941. During World War II, he served as a fire fighter in the U. S. Army Air Force at Love Field, then in the U. S. Army at Fort Hood until the war ended.
He served as a fire fighter for 17 years in the Fort Worth Fire Department before he took on the role of fire safety officer for schools, hospitals, rest homes, church schools, and day care centers. His photo often appeared in the Fort Worth Star Telegram with his faithful Dalmatian dog Cinderella Sparky, who helped with his demonstrations.
Trained in carpentry by his father, Mr. Box bought many old homes for his family and re-modeled and sold them to supplement his salary as a fire fighter and support his large family.
After retiring in 1980, he and his wife Mattie opened Romance Antiques near Romance, AR. They sold the store in 1989 and traveled in eight states, conducting antique shows while operating booths in antique malls in Little Rock, Palestine, and Rusk.
Known for his large family, Mr. Box was a strong family man and loved to brag about his eight children and tell stories about his ancestors’ escapades in moving through the southern states to settle in Texas.
A lover of people, Mr. Box made friends almost instantly wherever he went, from the grocery store clerk or gas station attendant to neighbors and church visitors. He was notorious for making his wife and children wait in the car during trips while he carried on a long visit with someone he had just met while asking directions or making a purchase.
Always active in church wherever he lived, he taught Bible classes, visited the sick and lonely, drove people to church services, conducted evangelistic training sessions, participated in mission outreaches, kept orphans and needy children in his home, and adopted an abandoned deaf child. After moving to Rusk at the age of 75, he and his wife continued to visit the sick and elderly until prevented in the last two years due to failing health.
He is survived by his wife of almost 68 years, Mattie Box of Rusk; eight children, Ramona Gililland of Smithville, Don “Mickey” Box of Hurst, Marquita Moss of Austin, Melany Shook of Arlington; Tahna Cody of Douglas, Jon Lee Box of Chantilly, VA; Camille Moore of Buderim, Australia; and Gayle “Dorene” Garza of Ringgold, GA; sons-in-law Gary Moss, John Bob Cody, John Moore, and Chano Garza; daughter-in-law Lynn Box; 22 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; a sister Gene Maikell of Austin, two brothers, Madison Box of Midland and Johnny Box of Fort Worth, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Zola Box, sisters Doreen Box and Loquita Cabe, brother Joseph T. Box, son-in-law Lyndel Gililland, daughter-in-law Jan Box, and grandchildren Robert Gililland and Camille Box.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at the Rusk Church of Christ. His sons (Jon Lee and Don Michael Box) and sons-in-law (John Bob Cody and Gary Moss) conducted the service. Burial was in the Douglas Cemetery.
His grandsons Chris Box of Hurst, Terry Shook of Kemp, John Caleb Cody of Nacogdoches, Zach Cody of Denton, Sydney Moore of Australia, and Taylor, Geoffrey, and Daniel Box of Chantilly, VA, served as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Brentwood Christian School, 11908 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 78753. The elders and deacons of the Rusk Church of Christ also served as honorary pallbearers.
