Donald Clare Saum

You can take the guy out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the guy. Don Saum traveled the world as a weapons research photographer, but his conservative rural Kansas upbringing and its values never left his side. One of the truly "good guys," he never said a bad word about anyone.

Donald Clare Saum, age 90, of Lakewood, Colo., who had defied death's door several times in the past few years, finally stepped over the threshold on October 28, 2021, after suffering a massive stroke. He died in a southwest Florida hospital.

Born July 13, 1931, to Helen (Sweet) and Ben Saum in rural Osborne County, Kan., he was raised by his grandparents, Hugh Clare and Ruby (Maris) Sweet in Stockton, Kan. A 1949 graduate of Stockton High School, Don excelled in basketball, football and set records in hurdle jump.

He graduated from Ohio University where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, and served in the Air Force in Korea. As manager of photogrammetry for the University of Denver, Don's detailed photos of the Statue of Liberty torch were used to rebuild the freedom flame.

Don was 32nd degree Mason and a Lakewood on Parade president. He was a family man, sports fan (especially the Denver Broncos), a private pilot, fisherman, skier, golfer and backpacker. He enjoyed vacation homes in Silverthorne, Colo., Hayward, Wisc., Stockton, Kan., Manzanillo, Mexico and Punta Gorda, Fla.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 70 years, Jean Tyson Saum; children Devin (Tressa), Kellie and Kenton; grandchildren: Amber Schenck, Nicole and Ryan (Ellery) Saum; and great-grandchldren: Jerry Schenck Flores, Ashlinn and Lachlan Saum.

Don will be interred alongside his wife at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.