Donnie Jordan Self

Donnie Jordan Self, of College Station, TX died Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at the age of 79.  He was born on February 13, 1943 in Kershaw, South Carolina as the sixth of seven children of William Raleigh Self and Inez Jordan Self.   

Dr. Self was a retired Professor Emeritus of Humanities in Medicine at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine in College Station, Texas.  He completed his undergraduate education at Furman University where he received a B.S. in chemistry and a B.A. in philosophy in 1965 and 1967, respectively.  After two years as an industrial chemist, he pursued graduate studies in philosophy, receiving his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in 1969 and 1973 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  For six years he conducted cancer research in neuropathology at Duke University Medical Center before embarking upon a teaching career in medical ethics, thus combining his interests in the sciences and humanities.  For nine years he taught medical ethics and headed the Human Values in Medicine Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia before being recruited to the Texas A&M University College of Medicine. He taught medical ethics at Texas A&M for 31 years, with special interest in cognitive moral development theory and its application to the field of health care, until he retired at age 71.   

Through his teaching of medical ethics, Dr. Self impacted the careers of innumerable health care professionals, while also serving on hospital ethics committees and making numerous scholarly contributions to his field. Beyond these professional pursuits, those who knew Don best will fondly remember how much he loved chocolate, UNC Tar Heel basketball, Aggie football, and traveling with his family. 

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by several of his siblings including his sister, Peggy Self Brazil; and brothers, William Jerry Self, Ray Franklin Self, Glen Edward Self, Sr. and David Raleigh Self, all of Rock Hill, South Carolina.  

He is survived by his wife, Margie Olivarez, of College Station, Texas; sister, Frances Self Mynatt of Gatlinburg, TN; son, William Reid Self of College Station, Texas; daughter, Mariella Marie Self of Houston, Texas; stepdaughter, Monica Hurrey Longoria; stepsons, Cruz Zenaido Hurrey and John Sidney Hurrey of College Station, Texas, and a stepson, Eloy Tomas Hurrey of Houston, Texas.  He has four grandchildren, William Sullivan Self Lane of Houston, Harper Rose Hurrey and Adalyn Grace Hurrey of College Station, and Ava Kaye Hurrey of Houston.