donallist

Born of missionary parents in Japan, Donal Buchanan's studies have included Archaeology, Old Norse, Old Irish, Early Welsh, Comparative Greek and Latin Grammar, and Basic Computer Programming.

He has traveled widely throughout Europe and Asia. Among his many jobs was work for the CIA in the U.S., Japan, India, and Vietnam.

He has published two mystery novels, a cartoon book on bridge, and two western novels. Another book on the adventures of Joshua Bean and one on Buchanan genealogy are currently in the works.

Donal is married, with two marvelous children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren by his first wife, Nancy Lee.

He proudly claims two step children and three grandchildren by his beloved second wife, Annie.

I had a number of jobs before I settled down to the job that became my career—all very short. During WW II they made use of us teenagers. During Christmas Break from school in 44 I worked for the Vet’s administration as a clerk. We were still working on Civil War vets! One summer I was a Postman. It was a Black route' but all the folks there were very nice to me. I remember sitting on a front porch with a fine old lady who regularly gave me water to drink (a real pleasure on a Virginia summer’s day). She remembered, at the age of ten, watching Mr. Lincoln go by in a carriage. One time I got bit by a dog while trying to jump a fence after delivering the mail (The Mail Must Go Through!). His owner found me on my route and took me to a doctor who cauterized the wound on my heel with a hot iron (that was an experience and a half). I was a paper boy for a couple of years (who wasn’t). In the Summer of 1945 I worked at the Pentagon. “Whaddha ya know, kid?” W-well I took Mechanical Drawing, sir!” "OK, kid, yer a Junior Draftsman. Show up on Monday. Here’s yer badge!” So, did I release a Draftsman to the draft? Probably not, since before the summer was over, so was the war.

The next year I went to my first year of College at John Muir Jr. College in Altadena, CA (I lived with my grandparents in Pasadena—and later my aunt Ruth who lived next door,). I tried working as a plumber’s helper—that ended when I put my pick through the pipe we were digging up. I got my hands on a motor scooter and worked for Western Union delivering telegrams. Got to meet interesting folks like the current film Lassie (who was a Lad) at his (her?) place of residence. I used to visit my Uncle Don who lived with his wife (whom I remembered from Japan) in a nearby beach town. A human movie star used that beach, whom I recognized, but his name escapes me. He was a nice guy with a growing belly. I never talked to him. I took my next 3 years of college at Colorado University (my folks had moved to Boulder from DC where Dad replaced a history Prof on his sabbatical). Dad picked up extra money being Assistant Pastor for an old friend who had a church in Boulder. Thus I lived at home for my second year of college. I joined the Colorado Army National Guard as a Private and when my parents moved to Oklahoma (dad had a job at the University there), I moved into the Armory (my roommate and I worked there as Janitors for our rooms; we picked up other jobs around town. I worked as a waiter at 2 different restaurants. For awhile I worked as a Janitor/cum phone clerk at the local radio station in Boulder. Then I got a steady job with the University Binder and learned how to bind books. My girl worked there too (I’d met her in Church). When I graduated in 1950 I married (on the same day) that lovely Boulder girl, Nancy Lee Spence who was much smarter than me. She had one more year to go before graduating, so we found a local place for rent ($10 a month plus mowing their lawn). I worked that summer driving a cab for two different cab companies (one had bought out the other so when driving for one, we were always careful to badmouth the other). I then got a job with a wonderful old man who was an ardent union man. We washed windows and cleaned houses—basically mostly just washing windows. I think the highest I ever worked was 4 stories. I worked for him for two years. By that time Nancy and I had saved up enough for a trip to Yugoslavia and Europe. I had applied for employment with the US Government and had an appointment for an interview with my prospective bosses in the Fall of 1951. I was with them for 25 years. This, with my civilian service during WWII gave me a total of 26 years (which, since I had over 5 years overseas service in Japan, India and Vietnam, counted as 30).

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