Donald Flowers Loper

Donald Flowers Loper, a descendent of two pioneering families of Madison County passed away on March 15. To those who knew him, he is remembered as a kind and gentle soul. The two most important earthly things in Donald’s life were his family and his farm. He was born to Theodore Calvin Loper and Carrie Isabelle Loper in 1923 and was raised on the family farm in the Hamburg section of the county. After graduating from high school in Madison, he attended technical school in Jacksonville and then went to work for AT&T. In World War II, Donald served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Hawaii arriving less than two weeks after Pearl Harbor. There, he built and maintained the first inter-island telephone-based voice communication system. After the war, he returned to Madison to work for the telephone company here and later in Gainesville. He retired in 1985 after 41 years with AT&T. Donald married Ethel Mae Edwards of Quincy, Fl. in 1953 and they were together until her passing in 2006. Together they had and raised a family of three sons and a daughter. Throughout his life, both during his career with the telephone company and after his “retirement” Donald remained active on the family farm in Madison. He assisted his father until his passing in 1962 then actively managed the farm himself, even while living and working in Gainesville. After his father’s passing, the farm remained the home of his mother. She was joined by her widowed sisters and then a series of widowed cousins. When asked what he raised on his farm, Donald often replied “old ladies.” In the early 2000’s the Florida Department of Agriculture recognized him and the farm with the “Century Pioneer Family Farm” award for well over 100 years of continuous family ownership and involvement in agriculture. He was also recognized by the Florida Forest Service for maintaining a “Stewardship Forest” on the wooded section of the farm, thus becoming one of only a handful of property owners in the state to achieve recognition in both categories. Donald is survived by his sons, Thed, Paul and his wife, Jamie and Joe and his wife Nelda; his daughter Theresa; three grandchildren: Jeremy, Dawn Mechelle and James; and two grandchildren. Donald is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his brother Tebo and a sister Theresa. A graveside service was held on Saturday, March 21 at the Ebenezer Cemetery in Madison County with Dr. Gary Cox of the Grace Presbyterian Church of Madison presiding. Beggs Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Any memorial contributions may be made to the Ebenezer Cemetery fund; 818 NW Hamburg Road, Madison Fl. 32340.