Donald Albin Reader Jr

I was assigned to the Naval Postgraduate School in May of 2000. In our previous assignments all my children were involved in baseball/softball teams. Many of the teams I ended up coaching as I grew up playing and loving the game. That is how I met Don as my son TJ and Don's youngest son Brian played Pony Baseball. Our boys soon became good friends and through them Don and I became very close friends and started coaching Pony, ABA, and Palma HS baseball teams together. Many of our days together started out at First Awakenings Restaurant for breakfast where we attempted to solve all the world's problems, discussed strategy for upcoming baseball games among other things until it was time for Don to open his and Connie's shop.

Our families soon became close friends as Don went to Brother Dunn at Palma HS and said, "I know testing for next years students has been completed but we have a new boy in town and I think you would enjoy meeting him." My son became a student at Palma along with Dan, Tim and Brian Reader. I hope Don realized how much that meant to us but that was vintage Don, helping others when at all possible. That is why he loved coaching so much. Dr. Pitch was a source of knowledge for the art of pitching for those who were willing to learn. I learned so much from Don and that soon carried over to Palma Football. on made sure I always had a seat close to him as we cheered for his three sons. This included three road trips to Moscow Idaho, to watch Brian play.

My family and I moved to Granite Bay, CA at the end of 2006 when I retired from the Army. We stayed in touch and thanks to Don's Son Tim, Don and I were together during all three of the boy's weddings. I could keep going and going but suffice it to say that Don was a very close and dear friend of mine who I will miss until be meet again on the big baseball diamond on the other side. Rest in peace my Friend!