Donald Bryan Christian's Obituary
Donald Bryan Christian was born on February 10, 1970, in Wilmington, NC. He passed away on September 20, 2016, in Dallas, TX, after a 22-month battle with liposarcoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donnie Christian and Deanna Southerland Christian. Donald is survived by his wife, Jan Fall Christian, his children, Lauren Alissa Christian and Garrett Sumner Christian, and mother-in-law, Janey Fall. Donald was a varsity soccer player for New Hanover High School, class of 1988. Also during high school, he was a volunteer fire fighter in Wrightsville Beach, NC. He earned degrees in mechanical and textile engineering from NC State University in Raleigh, NC, where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and Pit Tau Sigma (an engineering honor society). He began his career as an engineer for Grinnell Corporation in Lubbock, TX. In 1997, Donald moved to Dallas, TX, and was an engineer for Raytheon and L3 Systems. He earned patents for critical components in night vision cameras, which were instrumental in search-and-rescue and keeping our military safe. At the time of his death, Donald was employed as an engineer by Abbott Laboratories, where he designed blood analyzers. Donald married the love of his life, Jan, on September 11, 1999. While this day may be associated with sadness for many, to Donald and Jan, it was a celebration of their love for each other. Donald was a member of Christ Church in Plano, TX. He coached his daughter and son’s soccer teams. A beloved husband and father, he cared deeply for his family and friends. Typical of an engineer, he loved to fix things. Donald was an avid NASCAR fan who never missed a race and Jeff Gordon (#24) was his favorite driver. He enjoyed fishing and other outdoor activities. A favorite pastime was cheering for FC Dallas and attending their games. Donald would often refer to Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” In lieu of flowers, Donald’s family is asking for donations to the Sarcoma Alliance (775 E. Blithedale, #334, Mill Valley, CA 94941). The Sarcoma Alliance strives to improve the lives of people affected by sarcoma through accurate diagnosis, improved access to care, guidance, education and support. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
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