Don Clasen

Don Clasen died on October 7, 2021.  After dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease for 8 years, his heart just gave up.  Don was the son of German-Swedish parents, Albert H. Clasen and Ruth E. Shogren.  He grew to maturity during the late Depression of the 1930s and World War II.  With a family of 7 children, it was often a struggle.  They moved through a series of homes along Lake Michigan in South Milwaukee and Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

They managed a small farm for 3 years which must have impressed Don as he liked to say he grew up on a farm.  Thereafter, they bought property in Oak Creek which is still in the extended family today.  The significantly re-developed the property through the work of everyone in the family.  The boys entertained themselves, often with their beloved father, hunting, fishing and ice skating in winter.  He graduated from Otjen School, a K-8 small school that was re-developed as a park.  He graduated from South Milwaukee High School after enjoying participation in basketball and singing in the choir.  He attended the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee for 2 years, then transferred to Carroll College where he earned his BS.

Upon graduation and the death of his father shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the peacetime Army, receiving an early out so he could enroll in graduate school.

He decided to work after a year of school and enjoyed working for AC Spark Plugs.  When told he needed to use annual leave, he decided to drive to Southern California to visit his aunt and uncle.  They encouraged him to look for a job with the City of Los Angles and the rest is history.  During his first year, he was given an opportunity to get his Masters of Public Administration at the University of Southern California.  He did so willingly.

Don met Susan Lee Whitlo while working there.  They had a whirlwind courtship and were married 6 month later.  During the courtship, they jointly agreed that since he wanted to teach, he should pursue a Ph.D. in Public Administration.  That he did and received the degree less than 3 years later.

Looking for that first professional job, he accepted a position at the University of Georgia.  Like most other jobs Don sought, this one did not just entail teaching, but work in the Institute of Government where he did off campus education for the military at Fort Benning.  While at USC he had worked for their Delinquency Control Institute.  After a year and a half, he accepted a post-Doctoral Fellowship with the Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration and the family moved to Chevy Chase, Maryland.  After his year was up, he accepted a teaching position at Howard University in the Business School and after 5 years pursued and received tenure.

He was then pursued by the Federal Government and decided he had much to offer them, so joined the General Services Administration as a Management Analyst.  He worked there for 24 years, teaching part-time at various local colleges and universities.  While at GSA he participated in several task forces including one looking at the education of FBI personnel and coordinating an international INTERPOL conference in D.C.  He also was one of the top blood donors in the Washington area, having donated over 700 pints of blood and platelets. He was also a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America for over 35 years.

During this period, Don and Susan also became parents of two rambunctious boys,

Scott Andrew, now married to Janette Wipper and the father of their only grandchild, Milena Simone; and Keith Eric, now married to Jessica Milano.  He was a loving and involved father, who was not afraid of caring for a newborn, having had much experience with his siblings’ eventual 28 children.  As they grew, he became their soccer coach.  When teens, he became very involved with Teen Ski Adventures serving as an unpaid volunteer to wonderful ski trips all over the east from Pennsylvania to Quebec.  As a result, Scott and Keith had great experiences in skiing and with their dad.   Unafraid of causing some embarrassment to keep the boys and their friends in line, he earned the nickname ‘Don Buster’, and is still remembered fondly by that name today by those that knew him then.  He also saw that both had the boys their education through an MBA to launch their careers.

After Don retired, Don and Susan moved to Colorado Springs so Don could teach.

Susan eventually had her job transferred there with the Feds, but Don decided the move was not a fit and 3 years later they were back in Maryland.  Don spent his time teaching at numerous universities and skiing and when Susan retired 8 years later, they jointed decided to move back to Colorado to the Golden area, the closest point to I-70 and skiing.  For 5 years, he had ski buddies visit annually for a week at a time.  They would ski and Susan would happily try out new recipes on them, while pursuing her interests in birding, genealogy, church volunteering and singing in 2 choirs.  Don always enjoyed singing and joined her at choir until he was no longer able to see well enough due to macular degeneration or hear well enough due to severe hearing loss.

Don loved showing others how much he knew and he seemed to know something about everything.  As his Alzheimer’s advanced that no longer became the case and it frustrated him greatly.  They eventually moved into Covenant Living of Colorado, a Continuing Care Retirement Community; parting ways when he no longer was safe at home and went into Memory Care.

He was predeceased by his parents and 4 siblings.  Mary Ruth (Dave) Liegler who died on 10/3/2021; Joy Eleanor (Charles) Williams, Albert H. (Jean) Jr., and Robert Earl (Donna Rae).  Two siblings remain, Rae Concordia (Leslie) Lunsford and Lee (Nancy).  Although he lived away from his family for most of his life, Don and Susan and the boys visited Wisconsin on a regular basis to keep in touch, celebrate many weddings and, lately, more funerals.

Donations in memory of Don may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Attn: Research Memorials, PO Box 61469, Denver, CO 80206.  6.5 million Americans

suffer from this terrible disease today.  By 2050, 50 million of us will be so afflicted, if we do not conquer it.  According to the association, there are currently  72,000 individuals in Colorado suffering now with a 21.1% increase estimated for 2025!