DON ALWAYS JOKES “HE DOESN’T KNOW IF HE WAS BORN FIRST OR MARRIED FIRST!” THEY HAVE 4 CHILDREN, DONNA LILLY, KEVIN PARNELL, AMY PARNELL, AND JILL GIFFORD, 9 GRANDCHILDREN AND ARE EXPECTING THEIR 1ST GREAT-GRANDCHILD. DON WORKED FOR 45 YEARS IN THE PLUMBING TRADE, FOR 20 YEARS, OWNING AND OPERATING PARNELL PLUMBING CO., WHICH THEY CLOSED UPIN RETIREMENT IN DECEMBER, 1996.

DON BECAME INVLOVED IN BOWLING DURING THE 9TH GRADE AS A “PIN BOY” AT OLD PASADENA LANES; HOWEVER, HIS FIRST LEAGUE WAS THE RICHEY ST BAPTIST IN 1958. HE BOWLED 4 SEASONS IN PASADENA, AND THEN MOVED TO THE HOUSTON BA, RETURNING TO BOWL LEAGUES AGAIN IN PASADENA IN 1987, AND HAS BOWLED HERE EVER SINCE.

DON’S BOWLING RESUME INCLUDES OUTSTANDING ACHEIVEMENTS FROM FIVE DECADES INCLUDING: 1962-63 HBA HIGH SERIES (739), 1965 CLASS A DOUBLES STATE, HIS FIRST 300 GAME (12/20/70), ALL EVENTS CHAMP NINE TIMES DURING THE 1980’S & 90’S IN THE TCBA. IN 1996, DON WON DIV. II TEAM, SINGLES, DOUBLES, & ALL EVENTS IN THE PBA CITY TOURNAMENT.

IN 1999, PBA CITY DOUBLES, IN 2000, DIVISION 1 TEAM EVENT @ PBA CITY TOURNAMENT. IN 2002, DON FINALLY BOWLED HIS 2ND 300 GAME, 32 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST. HE ALSO BOWLED 3-800 SERIES (848 HIGH) IN A 2-YEAR SPAN BETWEEN APRIL 2000 AND FEBRUARY, 2000. DON ALSO HAS 3-299’S, 1-298 AND 1-11 IN-A-ROW AWARD.

DON HAS BEEN COMPETING IN THE SENIOR OLYMPICS SINCE 2000, WINNING OR PLACE AT THE STATE AND/OR LOCAL LEVEL EACH YEAR. DON HAS QUALIFIED TO BOWL NATIONAL SR. OLYMPICS FOR THE 3RD TIME IN PITTSBURGH, PA, IN JUNE 2005.