Donnie Douglas Hartley

Donnie Hartley ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations - Kinston on Mar. 13, 2026.Kinston- Donnie Douglas Hartley, 82, passed away on March 13, 2026.A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, March 18, at 2:00 PM at Pamlico Memorial Gardens in Washington, NC. A public viewing will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.Born on November 4th, 1943, the lucky second brother of two sisters, two girls who had not been given the change to spoil their older brother George Thomas, "Donnie Douglas Hartley" began to ignite from the welcoming soirees of his two older sisters, volleying back the flirtations which would eventually teach the famous Baptist Missionary from Eastern North Carolina – "Minister" Cleve Wilkie – how to exactly create a 'Cottage Industry' at Kennedy Memorial Home devoted to the dedicated formulas for fermenting "Charm School Chemistry". Reverend Wilkie- who was also Donnie's 'Foster-Home' Preacher – encouraged him to pursue his zeal to also work in Mother Nature's elements "out at Sea" (like Donnie's father named "Clem" had on a self-bought 'shrimp boat' called the "Carl Chilton" outside the dockyards of Brownsville, Texas).Donnie now adored to fill a Military – billet designating the Need for "an Aim and pinpoint accuracy Requirement" necessitated for being hired on as a "Naval 'Gunner's Mate'" – asked Cleve Wilkie what to do with the earlier request (recently completed but not yet mailed to Arlignton, Virginia) asking that the Navy fulfill his earlier Wish to becoming a "Yeoman Apprentice"? Mr. Wilkie replied to Donnie saying "take that 'Yeoman-script you wrote, place it on that tree there your sisters loved to climb, and use it now for 'target practice', drawing a "red bullseye" in the middle of that transcript you haven't had a chance to send to your Navy Recruiter yet. After you put 5 bullets inside the 'middle-of-the-mark", take it back down off that Tree and then 'mail it' to the Navy, along with your newest 'job request' you chose after having a 'change-of-heart' for how you wanted to represent 'Kennedy Home' in the military. For while Millington, Tennessee doesn't have any 'beach front property' there, I bet you one of their Detailers there will 'beat your and my door down' to grant you that "gunner's mate" job before even Norfolk or Arlington can get the change to 'call you' with their own offers!"Eventually Cleve was right, and persuaded Donnie to enter the Navy to fulfill his "voluntary service" fighting for America as a "Gunner's Mate", which sent him to the 'Republic of Vietnam' and It's War there, where Donnie amassed 3 "Bronze Stars", a "Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon", and a "Vietnam Service Medal", all while attaining the covetous Rank of "3rd – Class Petty officer" in just the four years he served.As a Veteran- 'Dupont' employees, Donnie-along with his "late" wife 'Deanie' – decided to "retire together" (her with the 'State Hospital System') once he had accrued 32 years of service with 'Dupont' (while his two surviving sons' "Marc" and "Thomas" would continue forward with their respective career paths). Amusingly, since Donnie was athirst to "rationally" contribute vast sums of money-and-donations to 'Saint Jude Hospital' and many other hospital charities and sodalities, the "American Legion" made him an "honorary member" after receiving a "V.A" notification of Donnie's financial contributions with the Guild called "the Paralyzed Veterans of America" even Awarding him a "Certificate of Recognition" in 2014, for the "sum" of the donations he had been giving since he began his employment with Dupont in 1968.Arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be made at www.edwardsfhc.com.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.