Donald Keller Huddleston, 52, was born in Killeen, Texas, to George and Katherine Huddleston. He was the second of their four children and the only boy. George was a military lawyer, and Katherine was a homemaker.
Don was an inquisitive child, a decent athlete, and a solid B student, described by peers as outgoing and friendly. When Don joined the high school debate team, he discovered his passion. He became a formidable competitor in public forum debate and oratory. That, combined with his father's influence, sparked Don's desire to practice law.
George promised to help pay for law school if Don would improve his grades. By the first semester of his junior year in high school, Don's GPA was up to 3.8, and by graduation, it was 4.0.
Don enrolled at the University of Texas–Austin Moody College of Communication. He joined the debate program, where his skills earned him scholarships for his remaining college years. Don dated casually during this time, but his studies and competition schedule limited his ability to commit to a relationship.
While at a debate competition held in Oxford, Don toured the University of Mississippi and decided to attend Ole Miss Law. After he graduated magna cum laude from UT–Austin with a B.S. in Communication Studies, he moved to Oxford where he earned his J.D. degree.
He joined a small, established corporate and tax law practice in Oxford. The partners were consummate professionals but not of the stiffly starched shirt and gold cufflinks variety. After years of relentless studying and competitions, Don happily settled into a more relaxed environment.
Don met Nicole Fontaine, a second-year law student at Ole Miss, during her two-month summer internship at his firm. She was driven and direct with an easy confidence that Don admired.
On the last day of her internship, Nicole asked Don out, and the two started dating. Don proposed immediately following her law school graduation, and the couple married a year later.
Don wanted children, but Nicole was ambivalent because she didn't want anything to derail her career, so Don agreed to be the primary caregiver should they become parents. Their son, Marc, was born six years into their marriage, and their daughter, Ashley, arrived four years later. Don took paternity leave with the birth of each child so that Nicole could immediately return to work.
Don was content with the family's income and his reasonable work hours, but Nicole was not. She spent upward of 80 hours per week at the office and continued to answer emails and take phone calls at home. She wanted more than either Don or Oxford could offer.
The couple separated six years ago and worked out an amicable settlement. When the divorce was final, Nicole moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. They share joint custody, but Don is the custodial parent so Marc and Ashley can finish high school in Oxford.
