Carlos Donaldson was born in Spring City, Tennessee.
He attended grade school and high school in Chattanooga,
Tennessee. He had one brother and two sisters.
Carlos came to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul in February
1958 as an Airman in the United States Air Force. He met
and married Willeta Hassell, a Champaign native, in 1960.
He has three children: Carlos, Jr., Carletta, and Dennis;
a daughter-in-law, Mae, and two grandsons: Ryan and Blake.
Carlos began employment at the University of Illinois
in January, 1962, as a mail carrier and retired as Supervisor
II of Campus Mail after 38 years of service on December
31, 1999.
He was President of #119 Service Employees Union (SEIU)
for 7 years and Vice President of Twin City Federation
of Labor. He began taking courses at the University of
Illinois in 1969 and received a Bachelor's degree in the
College of Fine and Applied Arts, Urban and Regional Planning
major in December 1979. Carlos worked full-time while
attending college and completed his degree one semester
short of 10 years. He attended class during lunch hours
and in the evenings while working and raising his family.
Carlos was involved in many civic and community activities.
He was a member of the Urbana Neighborhood Committee that
was instrumental in desegregation of the Urbana Schools;
he was very active in the Thomas Paine P.T.A.; and served
as Co-President, with Willeta, on the University of Illinois
(UNI) High School Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). Carlos
was appointed to the Urbana School Board and then was
elected to the Urbana School Board from 1981-1985.
Carlos met many special people he will not forget while
working and attending school at the University of Illinois.
Among these were: University of Illinois President John
Corbally, President Stanley Ikenberry, Robert P. Link,
Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, and Robert
Copeland, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences.
Carlos and Willeta enjoy traveling. He is an active member
of the Bethel A.M.E. Church where he has served as Steward
and Trustee. He is currently serving on the Stewardship
and Finance and Scholarship Committee. Carlos enjoys attending
University of Illinois basketball and football games.
He also enjoys working outdoors in his yard.
