Donald Horton

Donald Edwin Horton, Jr., 77, passed away surrounded by love and held in light on Friday, August 5, at St. Therese at St. Odilia Hospice Home in Shoreview, Minnesota, after living with, and dying from, cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange while serving the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Don was born in Chicago in 1945, the beloved son of Helen Strey Horton and Donald Edwin Horton, Sr. He lived in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood for the first 12 years of his life, then moved with his parents and sisters, Janet and Mary, to the Loch Lomond subdivision in Mundelein, Illinois, where they were active parishioners at Santa Maria del Popolo and later at St. Mary of the Annunciation.

His life was devoted to being in service to, and unconditionally accepting of, his cherished family and friends. He was tirelessly wisdom-seeking, focused on the quiet scholarship of self-betterment, and dedicated to his personal relationship with The Divine. He was a hopeless romantic, which led to bright marriages to the beautiful women, Patricia and Mary, who are mothers to his four beloved children, DJ, Leigha, Sara, and Claire.

While his life accomplishments were many and storied, from his 25 years as a Civil Rights/Employment Law plaintiff's attorney, to being awarded a "Thousand Points of Light" medal from President George H.W. Bush, to receiving The Wright Brothers "Master Pilot" Award from the FAA, to teaching law students at William Mitchell, to his work as a Court-appointed Mediator and Special Master, to authoring the lovely Christmas tale, "The Chestnut Pan," to taking his mother fishing for a week in Northern Minnesota every year after his father passed away, to returning to school to become a Licensed Clinical Therapist and a Healing Touch Practitioner, he would tell you his greatest achievement of all was serving others with love. His final prayers in the months prior to his death included that he be returned to Earth as a Healing Angel "to be with whomever needs me to be with them on their healing journey;" may our own prayers and good wishes guide, support, and encourage him along that journey.

Don leaves behind his beloved children: DJ Horton (Celeste), St. Paul, MN; Leigha Horton (Travis), Finlayson, MN; Sara Horton (Nick), St. Paul, MN; Claire Horton, Minneapolis, MN; his granddaughter, Katherine, St. Paul, MN; and his sisters: Janet Horton (Wally), Tucson, AZ; and Mary Sondag (Al), San Clemente, CA; and his dear feline companion, Frances Cabrini.

A memorial service for all who knew him will be at 1 pm on Saturday, August 13th at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 2300 Hamline Avenue North, Roseville, MN 55113. From 2-4 pm, there will be a gathering for storytelling, a photo slideshow, and spending time in loving company of Don's family and friends in St. Christopher's Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The MS Society, Heifer International, or St. Christopher's Episcopal Church.