Don, 79, of Estes Park, Colorado, died on Feb. 22, 2011. He was born in Greeley on August 22, 1931. After graduating from high school in Superior Wyoming, he started his career with the U.S. Forest Service at a fire lookout station in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. Don worked his way through college as a smokejumper in the summer.

He was a graduate of the University of Montana in Missoula with a bachelor's degree in forest management. Upon graduating, he took a full-time position with the U.S. Forest Service in Rock Creek Canyon outside of Sedona, Ariz.

His 30-year career with the U.S. Forest service included positions in Washington, D.C., Lakewood, Colo., and Albuquerque, N.M., where he retired. Don went on to spend the next 10 years working for the U.S. government in the state department doing contract work. Don also served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict.