Donal L. Turkal – Major General, United States Army

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From a contemporary press report:

Donal L. Turkal was born August 14, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, later moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where he attended public schools, the University of Maryland and the George Washington University, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and the George Washington University Law School, from which he received his LLB and Juris Doctors’ degrees.

During the Depression, he attended 15 different schools before he graduated from high school. After five years of employment with the Interstate Commerce Commission, he subsequently was employed by four different railroads in the next 32 years, the last of which is now the Burlington Northern – Santa Fe. He has practiced before the Supreme Court of the United States, numerous courts of appeal and was authorized to practice before the local courts of five states including 10 years of private practice before the courts of Texas.

His career in the Army began in 1942 as a Private. He retired in 1984 as a Major General. In his final military assignment, he commanded an armored division. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the “V” device for his service in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, the Combat Infantry Badge and later the Distinguished Service Medal for his outstandingly meritorious Army service. He was a graduate of the Army War College and numerous other military schools.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Betty Hendershot Turkal, of Fort Worth, Texas; sons, Donal L., Jr. and Dennis W., of Richmond, Virginia, and David J., of Houston, Texas; granddaughters, Toni Turkal Davis, Dani Turkal, Kristen Turkal and Kristine Turkal and grandsons, Warren Turkal, Jim Turkal and Alex Turkal.

DONAL L. TURKAL (Age 78)

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Retired Associate General Counsel, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, retired Major General, U.S. Army and retired private practice attorney, passed away Tuesday, December 17, 2002, at a Fort Worth, Texas, hospital.

Funeral 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Fort Worth. Burial January 9, 2003, 3 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, with caisson band, escort troops and riderless horse with Gun Salute.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to TROA Scholarship Fund, Dept. 889, Alexandria, Virginia 22334-0889, or to the Fort Worth Chapter of the Military Order of World Wars, c/o Youth Leadership Program, 6328 Inca Road, Fort Worth, Texas, 76116, or to St. Andrews Memorial Fund, 917 Lamar Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.

DONAL L. TURKAL (Age 78)

Retired Associate General Counsel, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, retired Major General, U.S. Army and retired private practice attorney, passed away Tuesday, December 17, 2002, at a Fort Worth, TX hospital. Funeral 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Fort Worth. Burial January 9, 2003, 3 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA with caisson band, escort troops and riderless horse with Gun Salute. Fort Worth visitation 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, December 20, at Greenwood Funeral Home. Virginia Visitation 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, January 9, at Arlington Funeral Home, Arlington, VA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to TROA Scholarship Fund, Dept. 889, Alexandria, VA 22334-0889, or to the Fort Worth Chapter of the Military Order of World Wars, c/o Youth Leadership Program, 6328 Inca Road, Fort Worth, TX 76116, or to St. Andrews Memorial Fund, 917 Lamar Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102.

Donal L. Turkal was born August 14, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, later moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where he attended public schools, the University of Maryland and the George Washington University, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and the George Washington University Law School, from which he received his LLB and Juris Doctors’ degrees. During the Depression, he attended 15 different schools before he graduated from high school. After five years of employment with the Interstate Commerce Commission, he subsequently was employed by four different railroads in the next 32 years, the last of which is now the Burlington Northern – Santa Fe. He has practiced before the Supreme Court of the United States, numerous courts of appeal and was authorized to practice before the local courts of five states including 10 years of private practice before the courts of Texas.

His career in the Army began in 1942 as a private. He retired in 1984 as a Major General. In his final military assignment, he commanded an armored division. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the “V” device for his service in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, the Combat Infantry Badge and later the Distinguished Service Medal for his outstandingly meritorious Army service. He was a graduate of the Army War College and numerous other military schools.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Betty Hendershot Turkal, of Fort Worth; sons, Donal L., Jr. and Dennis W., of Richmond, VA, and David J., of Houston, TX; granddaughters, Toni Turkal Davis, Dani Turkal, Kristen Turkal and Kristine Turkal and grandsons, Warren Turkal, Jim Turkal and Alex Turkal.

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