Donald D. Mues

BOISE, Idaho --  Retired Major Donald D. Mues, 74, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away one day short of his seventy-fifth birthday on Monday (June 10, 2002) at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise, Idaho. He wrestled with a lengthy illness of which he never stopped battling. Memorial Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday (June 17, 2002) at the Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise, Idaho.

He was born on June 11, 1927, in Holbrook to Rudolph and Margaret Mues. He attended both elementary and high school in Holbrook and following high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Later, he was encouraged to pursue a commission as an Army officer and he successfully did that through the Army's Officer Candidate School in 1951.

On July 5, 1947, Donald married Marjorie Oakham at Ft. Totten, N.Y. To this union were born two sons and four daughters. Donald's career was the military. He joined the Service in 1945. His military duty included assignments of duty in New York, Colorado, Oklahoma, Germany, Texas, Massachusetts, and Missouri. He was a proud veteran of the Korean War. He was an avid outdoorsman. Hunting, fishing, boating, camping, golf, and skeet shooting were his favorite pastimes. It was not unusual for him to track coyotes and walk ten to fifteen miles a day for the hunt. His family fondly recalls that he hunted elk every year, but only brought home one elk in an approximate thirty-year period. Could it be because he had been napping in the sunshine under a tree? His family laughs, recalling catching him in this act on numerous occasions and suspects they were not isolated incidents.

Following retirement from the Army in 1966, Donald and his wife Marjorie, owned and operated a small café in Bartley and worked in various farming and agricultural endeavors. After visiting his married daughter and her husband in Idaho and falling in love with the beautiful mountains, he immediately moved his family from the flats of Nebraska to the mountains of Idaho. His eldest son and his wife remained in Nebraska managing the family farm. He held various jobs in the Treasure Valley from representing Equitable Life Assurance as an agent, to working at Idaho First National Bank.

Survivors are his wife, Marjorie; brother Dale Mues and wife, Gladys of Bartley; daughter, Darlene and her husband, Donald Carlock of Kuna, Idaho; son, Dennis Mues and wife, Glenda of Cambridge; son, Lloyd Mues and wife, Kim of Fort Lewis, Wash.; daughter, Paula Mues of Boise, Idaho; daughter Dena and husband, Rich Wilson of Kuna; and daughter Melanie and husband, Eric Fulkerson of Meridian, Idaho. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren, Donene (Scott) Rognlie of Kuna, Bonnie (Warren) Davis of Kuna, Darren (Tami) Mues of Holdredge, Dallas (Kim) Mues of Bartley, Dustin Mues of McCook, Mysti Mues of Cambridge, Brad and Emily Mues of Moscow, Idaho, Trapper and Hunter Allen of Kuna, and Brittney and Brandon Fulkerson of Meridian. He is survived by eight great-grandchildren, Kyle, Patrick, and Kaitlyn Rognlie, Hailey and Kelly Davis of Kuna; Sondra and Matt Crooker of Holdredge; and Kayla Mues of Bartley. Don was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother Ken Mues of Bartley.

The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dr. Janat O'Donnell, Dr. Charles Rasmussen, Dr. Tom Jewell, Dr. Ann Cordum and the caring nursing staff at St. Luke's hospital, in particular Diane, Collette, and Shannon in CCU, JoAnn on the 7th floor and Laura, Lavinia, and Troy in RT.

The family members believe that Don would prefer that you go shoot a round of skeet; however, if you feel compelled, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association 270 S. Orchard, Boise, ID 83705 or the American Lung Association 1111 S. Orchard, Boise, ID 83705.