Donald Holman Warren of Austin,Texas passed away on the 28th of August 2025 at the age of 84. Don was born in Houston, Texas, May 29, 1941. Shortly thereafter his dad joined the Marines during WWII and he and his mom moved to Beaumont to live with his grandparents. When his Dad returned home from the war, they settled in Bellaire and he grew up playing baseball, basketball & football with his friends with his Dad as coach. He graduated from Bellaire High School in 1959 and went on to attend the University of Texas, graduating with a BBA in 1964.

Upon graduation from UT he took a job at Dow Chemical in Freeport. Within the year he joined the Air Force Reserve and completed active duty in 1965. Upon completion he accepted a job at NASA that would change the trajectory of his career. They needed smart young people to program computers. As few existed, he learned on the job. During this time, he met Susan Norman and they were married in 1966. In 1970 their daughter Diana was born and they began their family together. By this time Don had begun managing computer systems for the Houston Police Department. In 1974 their son David was born and the Warren family was complete.

By the 1980s Don and Susan decided to make a big change and moved their family to Austin. Don continued his work for Sperry Univac as a systems analyst and Susan began teaching school again. By the early 1990s, Don and Susan became empty nesters and enjoyed life traveling and attending regular UT sporting events. They were UT season ticket holders for football, baseball and basketball. Don was also an avid Civil War historian and attended the Civil War Roundtable in Austin. Upon retirement as Manager of Travis County Information Systems in 2000, Don enjoyed biweekly golf games with friends, volunteering at Camp Mabry's Texas Military History Museum and regular walks on Town Lake.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Susan in 2020. His surviving daughter and son, son in law and daughter in law and 3 grandkids would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Westlake Hills and the staff at Kindful Health Hospice for their compassionate care of Don in his final stage of life. Family and friends are invited to attend funeral services at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church on September 12th at 10 a.m. with a reception following in the church parlor at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Kindful Health Hospice or to his beloved Longhorn team through the Longhorn Foundation.

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Published by Austin American-Statesman from Sep. 2 to Sep. 5, 2025.

Memorial Events
for Donald Warren

Sep

Funeral

10:00 a.m.

Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church

Funeral services provided by:

Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park

6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749

Memories and Condolences
for Donald Warren

Sponsored by Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park.

6 Entries

Rosemary Youngblood

Yesterday

I worked with Dandy (Dandy Don as his friends called him) both in Houston and in Austin. He and Susan were one of the main reasons Mills and I moved to Austin. They preceded us by a year or two and were very helpful in welcoming and orientating us when we arrived. We were invited to many enjoyable gatherings at their home especially the after New Years recovery brunch. Don said he made a strategic decision on their housing location to insure Susan would be happy with the move - you could see the Foleys sign at Barton Creek mall from their front yard. His dry wit was always on - never malicious - just funny. His friendship with Mills Youngblood was a testament to his friend loyalties. I know Mills would be posting here with so many stories from HIS point of view so I feel I should elaborate a bit. Mills was incapable of being on time and Dandy continuously "managed" the situation with humor mainly by telling him the golf tee time was 30 min to an hour before it really was. Most of the time this worked however on one of the Omaha trips Mills offered to drive their golf clubs instead of them having to hassle on the plane. Mills was leaving 2 days in advance of their flight. On the first day it took Mills so long to get off that he spent the night in Georgetown. Needless to say he arrived a day after Dandy and Syl leaving them without their clubs and very unhappy but providing Don with so much more to add to his stories and good hearted ribbing. Dandy, Mills and Syl were a constant trio and truly the 3 musketeers. I will always remember Dandy with a smile. Much heartfelt sympathy to Diane and David.

Carroll E. Sylvester

September 10, 2025

Beginning in 1950, 75 years of memories far too lengthy to list, Don has been my closest friend and by far the longest tenured. Don's dad, D.M. Warren, first coached me and Don on the mighty Paul W. Horn elementary school single wing football team and then as Yankee teammates in the city of Bellaire's very first Little League baseball program. "Coach" remained behind to continue coaching hundreds of very lucky youngsters aged 12 and under and leaving me and Don to fend for ourselves as teammates in Bellaire's junior and senior teenage baseball programs. My first college football game experience came courtesy of Don and Coach and, yes, it was the Texas Longhorns versus the Rice Owls. Then in our teen years Don and I were treated to 3 years of trips to watch Cardinal baseball games in St. Louis MO. Those trips were so much fun Don and I made another half dozen such trips spread throughout our adult years. For about a quarter century Don added me to his Longhorn football and baseball season ticket packages as he and Susan graciously hosted me for those weekends. Beginning in 1987 we followed the Longhorn baseball team to Omaha and the College Baseball World Series, a trip such fun that we continued it annually for more than 25 years, having also added our beloved late friends, Jay Reeves and Mills Youngblood and Mills' still surviving brother in law, Jim Conrad. That was to us, "big boys' summer camp." In Omaha we developed tremendous friendships anchored by fellow season ticket holders, the incomparable six Reece brothers and their local friends to whom we were introduced. This tale could go on forever.
Although I continue to enjoy many friendships, none can match that which I have treasured with Don Warren.
Please rest in peace my dear friend.
Syl

Mullins Randy

September 10, 2025

Don and Susan were some of our favorite neighbors in Bellaire. My deepest sympathy to David and Diana.

Janice and Gary Schessler

September 8, 2025

Gary and I were saddened to hear of Don´s passing. We have so many happy memories of our times together living in Bellaire with Don and Susan, Diana and David as neighbors and friends. Our Colorado vacations with them will always be remembered fondly. The family will be particularly in our thoughts Thursday afternoon.

Margie Chabre (Segal)

September 5, 2025

Don and my husband worked together for 5 years at Sperry. When I would go to their Sperry office to see my husband, Don would always greet me with a big smile. I kept calling him Dan for about 2 years and he would never correct me. If my husband was in earshot he would say "His name is DON!" Finally, after about 2 years of my husband correcting me, I got it straight! One of the nicest men I ever met...a true gentleman and a loyal Longhorn fan regardless of what kind of year the scores reflected. He will truly be missed!

Diane and Charles Brewer

September 4, 2025

The Warren family was an important part of our lives in Austin. I can't believe that both Susan and Don have passed. They were both very dear friends and we will miss them forever.
Don was a great dad and a huge sports enthusiast. He took Adam and David to games for collecting cards. We loved your parents.
Diana and David, we are so sorry for your losses.
Charles and Diane and family.

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