Don Flood

Don Edward Flood

Don's Web Site

Daily Oklahoman, Sept. 8, 1966

Rev. Don E. Flood

After graduation from Classen in 1960, I enlisted in the US Navy, serving for four years. When I had completed training as a Radarman, I served aboard the USS St. Paul, a heavy cruiser and the flagship of the 7th Fleet. During most of that time the ship was home-ported in Yokosuka, Japan and traveled throughout the far east. When my tour of duty ended, the ship was in San Diego, CA. I had found a home church there and decided to stay. I began attending college and soon after, met my future wife, Dianne. We were married in June of 1965 and I graduated from San Diego State University in June of 1968 with a BA in Sociology with a minor in Psychology. During college I sensed God’s call to the Gospel ministry in the area of Christian Education, so upon graduation from college we moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where I attended Bethel Theological Seminary. Our daughter, Amy was born in 1969 while we were in Minnesota. In 1970 I graduated from seminary with a Master’s Degree in Christian Education. We returned to California where I was ordained and served churches in Turlock, Eagle Rock (Los Angeles area where our two sons, Paul and Joshua, were born in 1971 and 1973), Santa Barbara (where I also was founding pastor of a church in the Santa Ynez valley), Paso Robles (where we were foster parents to 12 children), and finally, sixteen years in Cupertino. I continued to further my education with classes at Fuller and Talbot seminaries while working full-time and completed my course work for a Doctorate in Education (Ed,D) at Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, Tennessee, traveling there twice a year for several years to take classes. In 2001, we were called to First Baptist Church in Prescott, Arizona where I continue to serve as Associate Pastor/Pastor to Senior Adults. Prescott is a great place to live, in the mountains a mile high, with pine trees, magnificent boulders and mountain lakes, but big enough to have lots of shopping, restaurants and recreation. I have been able to take advantage of the recreational opportunities, playing Senior Softball in the city league. We are less than 2 hr. from the Grand Canyon, so we have had quite a few friends stop by for visits on the way to see it. Over the years I had the privilege of performing the wedding ceremonies for all three of our children to fine Christian spouses from our church in Cupertino. Amy still lives in the San Jose area with her husband, a Computer Engineer, Church Elder, and Worship Leader, and their 5 children. Paul graduated from San Jose State University and Western Theological Seminary and serves as Worship Pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon where he lives with his wife and 3 children. Josh, our youngest, also graduated from San Jose State and then from Dallas Theological Seminary. He currently serves as Senior Youth Pastor at Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church in the Sacramento area where he lives with his wife and 3 children. We have been blessed with 11 beautiful grandchildren, five boys and 6 girls, currently ages 4 mo. to 14 yr. We have also had the privilege of traveling abroad several times over the years. Aside from the Orient, we have been to Israel three times, Australia, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, and the UK (England, Scotland, and Wales) as well as a little bit in Mexico and Canada with very short stops in the Netherlands and Germany. Life has been very good. God had blessed us with a deep love for Him, each other, and His people.

UPDATE - July 2009

We moved from Prescott, AZ last year when my job there ended, moving to
Sacramento, California so we could be near our "kids" and grandkids. We
are really enjoying that, although I would still like to work, at least
part time, in Christian Education Ministry. Since we have been here I
have been so busy finding a home, moving us (what a lot of "stuff" we
have accumulated in 44 years of marriage), then moving my mother-in-law
three times in one year, first from her home in Prescott to an
Independent living apartment here in the Sacramento area. Then we
cleared out her house and prepared it to sell (which it did in less than
2 weeks). Next we moved her into a larger apartment four months later.
The final move was last month after she passed away. Now we are
attempting to liquidate her belongings - what a chore! Tomorrow I will
be having my second shoulder surgery and then, finally, I should be able
to spend some serious time and energy networking to find a new position.

Don
 

Below, Don and his wife at their 50th Wedding Anniverary celebration