Don C. Marler

Born at home in the swamps of South Central Louisiana (Hineston) on May 17, 1933. I worked on the farm and in the timber industry until I joined the U.S. Navy on my birthday in 1950 where I served on an LSMR (Rocket Ship) and then as a member of UDT 1 (Frogman-now SEALS) .

Upon discharge I attended Louisiana College in Pineville, La. the got a MSW at LSU. After working for the V.A. in Wichita and Topeka, Ks. attended Tulane and worked one year toward the PhD. in Social work. In the following years I worked as a psychotherapist in VA Clinics and administrator in a large psychiatric hospital. Then I worked as the director of a community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center, private therapist and leader of workshops in child care, evaluation of social service programs and eventually as director of private residential facilities for the mentally retarded. During those years I also wrote several articles for publication in professional journals. Upon retirement I started my own small publishing company (Dogwood Press) through which I published or republished more than 40 books on regional history. After selling that business I embarked on a new venture of buying and renovating real property and continue that activity on a scaled back version now.

Currently I am president of Red River Heritage Association, Inc. a non-profit historical group that seeks to bring to the fore the history on the Red River in Louisiana. Our first project it the Colfax Riot/Massacre that occurred in April 1873 in Colfax, Louisiana. I have a wide range of interests as reflected in my blog--www.donmarler.com or Don Marler:Iconoclast. I am a liberal Democrat. My home is at Montgomery, Texas, where I live with my wife of 54 years- Sybil. We have one son--Forrest.