Donald (Donnie) Paul Predovic

That line is something he got from Grandpa, but used as his own for years and years. Any fitting conversation, whether it be with a server at a restaurant, guy at the car parts counter, or county car registration, he would always smile and end it with, "you can take the rest of the day off." So now, it is fitting that he does the same.

Donnie's daily interaction in life involved a limited number in his inner circle.....often times he preferred it that way. However, it was unavoidable many, many had experienced his vocal wit, repair and creative skills, musicianship, and friendship. He was a social magnet....in a room full of people, the crowd would gravitate in his direction just wanting to be close to him. It is like his personality and countenance just invited everyone in! He made people laugh and feel good about being in that exact moment.

He was deeply loyal to those he loved. He put those people up on his personal pedestal. All other friends and acquaintances? He entertained and made laugh! He could dance the Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive" better than John Travolta himself! Lol! Only with a cigarette hanging off of his lips!

Donnie loved people and wished more than anything he could have married and had children with the woman he deemed never came along. Though adventurous in every other walk in life, he was very cautiously reserved with that commitment. This was a topic of his regret that was a repeated discussion we had over years. It was truly a reflection that of how incredibly deep and passionate his love was for people he cared about or served........there were high expectations in a pact like that........so, that being the primary factor. It literally had to be forever and check a LOT of boxes!! There were a couple times he felt like he wasn't good enough for the pairing, and a few times the others weren't good enough for that pairing. Being equally yoked is a tough chemical equation. And, when you prioritze life a little less traditionally than the rest of society, it is a little harder to find that perfect chemistry. And that is the primary reason he never had children.

The secondary factor he never married and had children is because he was fiercely loyal to taking care of Grandpa when he got up into his later years. Grandpa got around very well until he was in his 90's and by that point in time, Donnie was in his very late 30's and early 40's. Donnie resided together with Grandpa and was his caregiver when Grandpa went downhill.

Donnie did get to experience a parental love and have an influence as a father figure to those he considered his "God-children" - Brittany Betts, Camden Sircy, Austin Tucker, Mckayla Douglas, Kaylee Lack, A.J. (Silas) Underwood, and Carter Thomas. Donnie thought the world of those kids. He was always quick to share with me what was going on in their lives when we talked on the phone. He never failed to share how awesome it made him feel to be a part of their lives!! Donnie also took pride in being the Uncle to my kids Erika and Austin. He spent a lot of time teaching them little wise lessons in life, humorous ways of telling stories and jokes, mechanic tips, driving advice, and anything else a brother could wish for his kids in an uncle - he was the best!!

Donnie spent a great deal of life in a sphere of creativity....he built Pontiac Trans Ams, Chevrolet Corvettes, Atv four wheelers, guitars, and motorcycles. He could ride and play them equally as well as he could build them. He could transform junkyard rust into radiating gold! Pure talent! He could take ebay guitar bodies, necks, and electronic hardware and create something Eddie Van Halen and George Lynch would treasure!

Growing up, Dad had on occasion described Donnie as, "With this one (Donnie) if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow, it wouldn't bother him in the least!" Lol! What Dad was actually saying is that Donnie was never a planner....he lives in the moment. Donnie was not gonna let anything get to him outside of where he was in the moment. And that is a character attribute that remained throughout his life. Those "in the moment" experiences often involved a sense of daredevil adventure.

I had gotten behind him many days (while driving somewhere in my truck) only to find that the guy on the motorcycle riding a wheelie for the past 5 miles was Donnie. Most bike riders need 2 wheels. Donnie only needed one. Donnie compared that "wheelie" riding to living the rest of life - "you got to find that point of balance where you aren't falling backwards or leaning too far forwards. When you find that point, you capture it and go!!"

He built and rebuilt many motorcycles......he felt like each one of them was a reflection of himself and therefore he would never sell one until it was mechanically in pristine condition. Also, he had to ride it plenty enough to verify that indeed it was pristine.

Four wheelers involved just 2 rear wheels because when he drove them, the front 2 were always in the air. He had many of those he had built and rode over the years as well. People got word of his ability to make them run like a top - they would seek him out to do their repairs. He was better at it than many bike shops around. Four wheelers were one of the central activities that kept family time tight and treasured. Donnie may have liked working on them equally as much, but the rest of the family just liked riding them with Donnie.

He built many cars as well. Rebuilt trucks. He was a mechanical crew asset with the pulling vehicles of Bob and Bobbie Barbee. Donnie often joked the tractor pulling time with them was "therapy" and it was significantly less cost than seeing a psychologist! Lol!

Donnie's relationship with Bob and Bobbie wasn't limited to tractor pulling. Donnie was mutually considered family to them and was employed by them too. Donnie performed many skilled tasks there from mechanical maintenance, machining, vehicle painting, expedite delivery, facility construction, and just about anything that required a "go-to" guy who they could depend on getting things done on time and correctly.

Donnie pushed the envelop of living in many ways, but there is one aspect of life that kept him grounded - his personal saving faith in Jesus Christ. He took the Lord very seriously along with Bible scripture. We were both saved at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Springfield, TN. I was about 10 and Donnie was about 9....we went forward the same Sunday and accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. He was baptized later in life at Bethel Baptist Church in Millersville, TN. He had an intrest on honing in on scriptures that weren't really mainstream at the pulpits. Examples include - 1 Samuel 28 7-39.....summoning the witch of Endor. Genesis 6:4 ......the Nephilam. He was fascinated by those topics.

Donnie was a 1991 graduate of Greenbrier High School, Greenbrier, TN. He was also a 1993 graduate of Nashville Area Vocational Technical School in Nashville, TN where he received his Diploma in Machine Shop.

I think it is worthwhile to note that life is a gift packed with precious treasures as well as doses of hardships and struggles. Not 2 feet beside Donnie lays our father who died in a car accident not even 2 months after Donnie graduated high school. It is a difficult task to get focused in life when things like that come at you without mercy. Donnie adapted and excelled in life on his own terms and at his own speed to overcome what came at him! He made a tremendous impact in other's lives and in this world because of that ability to overcome. In all that knew him, he has left an irreplaceable mark encouraging us to live life more on the terms Donnie lived..........to find laughter and humor in the mundane, to create the atmosphere you want to thrive in, to be there for people as a support when needed, to take time to invest and enjoy the priorities most important to you, live a little bit on the edge, find competitive spirit in overcoming the things in life that challenge you, and to always keep your inner most being in tune with our Creator and Savior Almighty God Christ Jesus.

"You got to find that point of balance where you aren't falling backwards or leaning too far forwards. When you find that point, capture it and go!"

Well done Donnie. Well done.