Dan True

Dan True, 97, of Clovis New Mexico died March 16, 2022. Dan was born December 8, 1924, in Nashville, TN, second son of James and Dorris True. True's father was a wildcat oil driller for Standard Oil. The family moved 33 times to oil fields in Oklahoma, Kansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Texas, and New Mexico before True graduated from high school in Ridgeway, IL in 1943.
The day after graduating, True volunteered for World War II in the Army Air Corps and became an aviation cadet. While True was in cadet training in California, the Army decided they needed fewer pilots, and more ground troops. True was transferred to the 78th Infantry Division in Columbia, SC, and became a combat radio operator. A week before the 78th left for France, True was transferred to the Army Signal Corps, and sent to teletype mechanic's school in Ft. Monmouth, NJ. Upon graduation, True was promoted to chief of a five-man mobile teletype repair unit and sent to France. At the end of the war with Germany, True was sent to the Philippines and the war against Japan. Dan was one of the few servicemen who spent VE day in Paris, and V.1 day in Manila.
After Dan's discharge in 1946, he immediately got his pilot's license and then instructor's license. While he was a student working on his bachelor's degree, he worked weekends as a flight instructor. He attended college at John Brown University in Arkansas, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Illinois, and later the University of New Mexico. While he was a student, True worked weekends as a flight instructor. During summers between semesters, he flew a Stearman crop duster in Texas, Illinois, and Mississippi. Dan was still flying in his 80's. It was one of his passions. During his last year in college, True married Betty Krauel, of Danville, IL (deceased). They had six children; Gregory (killed in 1969); Jeff (deceased), Dawn, Terri, and Teresa, all of Amarillo, and Todd of Sylva, NC. After college, True had a choice between flying for an airline or taking a job as a meteorologist for KGNC-TV, in Amarillo, TX. True chose TV meteorology. Dan had the mind of a scientist and the personality of a born showman. He was described as being "As accurate and exacting as his meters and gauges, and as gusty and zestful as a prairie wind." True described his storms as "dudes" and "rascals" and a "troublesome low that hovers too long and is likely to find itself imbued with fiendish personality". He always spoke of his weather predictions as "Educated guesses". Dan also filmed, produced, and narrated a weekly five-minute wildlife program call "True Nature". There probably never has been a weather forecast when a rattlesnake is thrown out on the floor by the weatherman, and a roadrunner attacks and kills it. That was Dan True. He piloted aircraft into the fringes of two hurricanes, one of them "Beulah" with 160 mph winds. He was a trailblazer in weather coverage; changing the way things were done. After 25 years as a television meteorologist, he retired in 1988. Dan also loved nature and was an avid nature photographer. He went from studying eagles to studying hummingbirds. He was an expert in both. He wrote two eagle books, one hummingbird book and numerous magazine articles, accompanied with his wonderful photographs. Dan was a force of nature himself. He was a one of kind and will be greatly missed.
Dan is preceded in death by his parents, his two brothers Jay and David, his sister Betty, Betty True Godfrey; sons Greg and Jeff True; granddaughter, Amy True; grandson Michael True; son-in-law, Lance Ames; and mother-in law, Earlene Edwards.
Dan is survived by his wife, Diane, of Clovis, NM; daughters, Dawn True Ames, Terri True Welch and husband Tex, and Teresa True Lawler and husband Jay, all of Amarillo, TX; son, Todd True and wife Melissa of Sylva, NC; stepson, Ben Goldbaum and stepdaughter, Sarah Goldbaum; 12 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.
A Graveside service will be held Monday, March 21, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at Mission Garden of Memories, 2900 W. 7th Street in Clovis, NM.
In lieu of flowers you may make donations to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, Virginia 22311
The family would like to thank all of you for following Dan all these years. He loved all of you and was so grateful for your loyalty.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Muffley Funeral Home, www.muffleyfuneralhome.com, (575) 762-4435