Though he has lived in the beautiful ocean-side community of Santa Barbara, Calif., for 45 years, former Warsaw cross country and track and field standout Don Truex has fond memories of growing up in northern Indiana.
"Warsaw is a special place," said Truex, a 1955 Warsaw High School graduate who was in town last weekend for his 55th class reunion. "Looking back at growing up here in Warsaw, we had dedicated teachers and coaches who wanted the best for us, and we had a community that supported us as students and athletes. I was very fortunate to grow up here."Truex, 73, is the younger brother of the late Max Truex, who was a star runner for the Tigers and the University of Southern California before he went on to represent the USA in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.
The Warsaw High School class of 1955 met last Friday for a golf tournament, had dinner Friday at Rozella Ford, dinner Saturday at Ramada and breakfast Sunday at Richard's Restaraunt.
Truex said the class had their first reunion in 1975 and has had them every five years since.
And a return trip to his boyhood home is something he has looked forward to each reunion.
"Santa Barbara is a special place, and I've been fortunate to live in California in the sun near the ocean for 45 years, but Warsaw will always be a special place. This is where I grew up. And those high school years make a big impact on your life."
His message to current Warsaw athletes would be to appreciate the community support that Warsaw has always provided.
After graduating from high school, Truex ran for the University of Michigan. He said he was headed to Ann Arbor this weekend for a reunion with his U of M track and field team.
Truex said he learned at an early age he and his brothers Max and Gene (who was killed in a car accident at the age of 16) were pretty good runners.
Truex continues to run today, and said that he participates in eight to 10 5K or 10K races per year.
"We ran all the way through high school, and with Max in the race, I got used to running for second place," said Truex. "But I enjoyed running, and then I went on to run at the University of Michigan, and I still run today. I've got plenty of miles in over the years."
After getting an engineering degree from the University of Michigan, Truex worked as a refinery engineer for Standard Oil, which is now Chevron. He later attened dental school at University of California at San Francisco and was a dentist in Santa Barbara for 43 years before retiring two years ago.
His successes in life go back to the work ethic he learned growing up in Warsaw.
Among Truex's friends while growing up here were former Plymouth High School principal Larry Pinkerton, former state senator and current school board member Kent Adams, former University of North Carolina faculty member Jack Evans and Times-Union publisher Lane Williams Hartle.
