Dr. Don Page Warden

Memorial service for Dr. Don Page Warden, 87, of Gilmer, Texas will be held at 2:30 P.M., Saturday March 23, 2019 at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Gilmer with Bro. Connor Bales officiating under the direction of Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. A burial will be held at 9:00 A.M., Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Mont Meta Memorial Park in San Benito, Texas.
Don was born in Houston, Texas to Thomas Benjamin Warden and Ann Love Page Warden on October 27, 1931. The family moved to Austin, Texas, in 1933 where Don attended Austin High School. He then attended Texas A&M and graduated from Southwestern Medical School in 1955, followed by a one year general rotating Internship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.
During his junior year of Medical School, Don married a fellow student, Lenore Sponsler. This union was blessed by five children, Shawn, Russell, David, Hank, and Shay.
After two years on the Public Health Service he returned to Dallas to complete a two year Internal Medicine residency at Baylor and a final year of training in Chest Diseases at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
The family moved to Weslaco, Texas in 1961 where Don practiced until his retirement in 1994. They then moved to Gilmer, Texas in 2003.
During Don’s active practice years in Weslaco he served many areas. At Knapp Medical Center he was a member of the Board of Trustees, medical director, charter member of Medical Staff, medical Staff Secretary Treasures, Vice President, Chief of Staff, and Chief of Medicine. He was also a member and chairman of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and member and Chairman of the Utilization Review Committee.
At Hidalgo-Starr Counties Medical Society he served as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, and President, and delegate to the Texas Medical Association.
Texas Medical Society, he was a consultant to the Physician Rehabilitation Committee, alternate representative to Inter-specialty Society, member of the Cardiovascular Committee, member of the Physician-Patient Advocacy Committee, and member of the Joint Sponsorship Committee.
At the American Heart Association, he was an advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor.
He was a board member of the Texas Society of Internal Medicine, President and Secretary-Treasurer, delegate of the American Society of Internal Medicine, Lobbyist of the 74th Legislature State of Texas, Texas Internist of the Year in 1995, and Lone Star Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Warden was also a member of The Texas Thoracic Society and the American Thoracic Society.
Additionally there was multiple mission trips to Mexico, India, Ecuador, Australia, and Canada. Don served his church as Deacon, Teacher, and Lay Leader.
Dr. Warden is survived by his sons, David Warden and wife, Magda of Weslaco, Texas and Hank Warden and wife, Johnna of Kaufman, Texas; daughters, Shawn Warden and Shay Warden, both of Gilmer; daughter-in-law, Charlie Warden of Gilmer; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dr. Lenore Sponsler Warden; and son, Dr. Rusty Warden.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Food Pantry at First Baptist Church in Gilmer 304 Buffalo St, Gilmer, TX 75644.
In the words of Dr. Don Warden, make sure you “Read HIS Word.”