Palestine High School Alumni Association

05 / 10 / 1934  –  04 – 06 – 1961

James Devere “Donny” Marrs was born on May 10, 1934 in Palestine. He was the son of Hester L. and Mattie Sue Holt Marrs. He was raised in Pert and Neches and attended Palestine High School. He was known to everyone by his nickname of Donny. Donny was the only boy in a family of five children.

After graduation he served in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany for several years. When he left the Army he became a fireman for the city of Houston and worked at Firehouse #34 in Houston. He married Ruby Faye Helmer. When he was not working for the Houston Fire Department, Donny was a part time truck driver. He was killed in a truck-train accident near Normangee on April 6, 1961.

His widow, Ruby, lives in Fairfield, Texas. They had one daughter, Donna Faye Marrs Lewis, who was born in 1959 and is a teacher at A.M. Story Elementary in Palestine.

Source: Family/Max Alldredge 2002