Don Giltner Is Colorfest Grand Marshal
Louisiana will be “Celebrating Our Colorful Heritage” at this year’s Country Colorfest on Oct. 16-17 and one of the town’s most colorful citizens will serve as grand marshal.
The Colorfest committee selected Don Giltner to lead the magnificent parade down Georgia Street that officially kicks off the two-day festival. The comical 76-year-old former school administrator and mayor pointed out that while very few things render him speechless, he was nonetheless overwhelmed at the honor.
“I was almost speechless…almost,” Don joked. “I was really very surprised and honored,” he went on to admit. “I didn’t expect anything like that and I appreciate it very much.”
Don and his wife, Priscilla, moved to Louisiana in 1959 as he began his career in education and Priscilla’s career at the district wasn’t far behind. She was a language arts teacher who also took on speech and drama.
“Of course we thought it was pretty and we liked the people,” Don said. “It just became home.”
Born in Kirksville and raised in Branson, Don served two stints in the United States Army. He served from 1954-1957 and spent 30 months overseas working in the intelligence unit as a courier. Don and Priscilla met in 1957. He completed his social sciences degree at Murray State University in Kentucky in 1958 and served another six months in the Army until taking the teaching position with the Louisiana school district. He was out of the service for one day when he started his job teaching social studies to sophomores and seniors and coaching junior high basketball on Aug. 18, 1959.
“Bea Goodin was the first person I met in Louisiana,” Don remembered. “She was the secretary and head bookkeeper in the superintendent’s office. We’ve known each other for more than 51 years.”
The two worked together most recently in city government, but that’s a story for a couple of retirements down the road.
Back in 1962, Don was given his first opportunity at school administration. He headed up the first junior high at the district which was comprised of seventh and eighth graders. Don noted that he was helped by people like Dorothy Webb and Eileen Smith and many others in that endeavor.
Six years later Louisiana became only the second school in the state to have a middle school consisting of fifth through eighth grades with Don at the helm. He later became the high school principal, a title he held for 13 years. The last five years of his educational career Don was also the district’s assistant superintendent. In 1987 Don decided it was time to retire…for the first time.
Don said that he and Priscilla retired and spent the next eight months traveling. Upon their return, Don decided to go back to work and made Fowler Lumber Company his home for the next 15 years until he retired…for the second time.
“When I was 70-years-old I decided it was time to get into politics,” Don shared with a laugh. “I said that I must have entered the third stage of senility.”
Don served the city council for two years after being elected in 2004. He won the mayor’s seat in 2006 where he served for four years until announcing that he would not seek another term. In April, Tom Wallace was elected to replace Don as mayor.
“This is my third retirement and this one better be the charm,” he said. “The school was our life, though. It consumed us. We have nothing but kind thoughts about being there and fond memories of the former students.”
Don pointed out that at one time the entire Giltner family roamed the halls at Louisiana High School. Don was the principal, Pricilla taught, their daughter, Julie, was a senior and their son, Don “Bubba”, was a junior and the twins, Susan and Kate, were freshmen.
The couple celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary last week on June 6. They also have seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Colorfest chair Mona Brown said Don was a great choice to serve as parade marshal.
“It was amazing to me to find out, with all that Don has accomplished in our community, that he has never been Grand Marshal of the Colorfest. From his teaching years to his administrative years and then his political years, just about everyone in town knows Mr. Giltner in some way,” Brown stated. “He’s pretty much been a fixture in Louisiana for decades and is very deserving of honor.”
Colorfest is always held on the third weekend of October. Those interested in helping in any way or volunteering time during the festival should contact Carol Ray at the Chamber of Commerce office at 573-754-5921 or email louisianacolorfest@gmail.com