Donald Max CLEVELAND

CLEVELAND, DUNN, GRIFFITHS, REMICK, GRAY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/6/2007 at 11:43:07

April 20, 2003

Donald M. Cleveland, 66, of Belmond, died on Sunday, April 20, 2003, at the Belmond Medical Center. Funeral services were held on Wednesday morning, April 23, at the United Methodist Church in Belmond, with Pastor Mike Druhl officiating. Burial was in the Belmond Cemetery.

Donald Max Cleveland, the son of James Arthur Cleveland and Alice Marie Dunn, was born on June 19, 1936, at home on the family farm near Liberty Center, Iowa. He grew up on the farm, graduating from the Liberty Center High School in 1954 and attended Simpson College where he played basketball and high-jumped, graduating in 1961. He went on to earn a Masters Degree in Guidance Counseling from the Northeast Missouri State University and his endorsement specialist in School Administration from Iowa State University. Don was united in marriage to Dona Griffiths on June 10, 1962, in Indianola. His first teaching job was at Franklin Consolidated Schools (now called CAL) where he taught junior high science. The couple moved to Belmond in 1965 where Don was employed by the Belmond Community Schools. From 1965 to 1968 he taught junior high science. His coaching duties included junior high wrestling and high school track and field. From 1968 to 1974 he was the high school guidance counselor. He started the girls basketball program, serving as head coach. He was also the head boys baseball coach, leading the team to the state baseball tournament. During those summers he also ran the summer pee wee baseball leagues. From 1974 to 1991, Don was the High School Principal. He implemented a staff improvement program, student assistance program, and was facilitator for other communities. In 1990, he was elected outstanding administrator for support of music education by the Iowa Music Educator Association. He was a member of the State Music Association Board. From 1991 to 1996, Don was Superintendent of the Belmond Schools and was instrumental in the Belmond-Klemme reorganization. In 1994 he was awarded the School Administrator Award from IHSAA. In 1996 he was named Boss of the Year by the Belmond Jaycees. Common advice that Don gave was, "set your goals, do the best you know how, don't be afraid to try, and be happy doing what you are doing". Don was a member of the United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday School for many years and was a member of various boards. He was a member of the Belmond Chamber of Commerce, where he was a Past President, the Belmond Hospital Foundation, and Belmond Public Library Foundation. Don was also a member of the Belmond Volunteer Ambulance crew. Don loved the outdoors. He took many youth groups, friends and family to the Boundary Waters on canoe trips. He enjoyed fishing and loved nature.

Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, James and Charles; and sisters, Norma and Sharon. Don is survived by his wife; sons, Dan (Jodie) of Wheaton, Illinois, Dave (Terra) of Cedar Falls and Dana (Laurie) of Des Moines; grandchildren, Alex, Sean, Kellen, Conner, Langley and Maxwell; and sisters, Phyllis (George) Gray of Waukee and Coleen Remick of Indianola. The family requests memorials be directed to the Belmond-Klemme Scholarship Foundation II, Belmond Hospital Foundation, American Cancer Society and the Belmond United Methodist Church.

©Belmond Independent 2003