Donnie was born to Laura Lee Lemons Sampson and Jesse Sampson on October 13, 1938 in Sugar Land Texas. He joined church at an early age and attended Blackshear Elementary School in Houston. However, the rest of his public school career was spend in Fort Bend public schools. Donnie graduated from M.R. Woods High School in 1957. He was awarded a scholarship from the Imperial Sugar Company in Sugar Land which enabled him to attend Prairie View A&M College, now University. There, he majored in Civil Engineering and was a member of the R.O.T.C. He graduated in May 1961 with his B.S. in Civil Engineering and as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He had a reporting date within the same week of graduation. Donnie completed two tours in Vietnam. Donnie married Marva Times on July 3, 1964. During his military career, he and his family spend three years living in Hawaii, 2-1/2 years in Liberia, West Africa with shorter stateside assignments in between. He earned a Masters in Economics from Prairie View and a Masters in Business Administration from Texas Southern University. Donnie was cheerful each morning upon rising and dedicated to his job at Lyondell Petrochemical Company until he retired. Donnie was an active member of University Christian Church for over 30 years, moving from a deacon to an Elder, becoming an ordained elder in 1989. He sang in the Men's Chorus, was a pupil then a teacher of Sunday School and served on the UCC Board twice as the chair. He was also a member of the Pastor's Search & Call Committee for several years. He leaves to mourn his loving wife, Marva; their three daughters Hope, Pamela and Kim (Mario); and seven grandchildren: three granddaughters - Haileigh-16, Malyrie-5 and Truleigh-3; four grandsons: Jordan-18, Gherimyah-13, Toran-13 & Mateo-1. Donnie also leaves one sibling, his sister Jean Johnson as well as numerous nephews, grandnephews, nieces, grandnieces & many cousins and friends. Donnie was the family photographer and worked diligently planning family reunions with relatives. He loved every branch of his family tree including the Hilliards, Cunninghams, Sampsons and Blakes. Family meant a great deal to him. In death, Donnie is reunited with his daughter Donnyelle, his parents Laura and Jesse, Aunt Dora, two sisters Gay & Teresa, two brothers Darryl (Man) & Herbert and parents'-in-law, Odiest and Roy Times.