Donald Prentice ’53
Donald Prentice ’53 of Parachute, Colorado, died on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at the CO Veterans Living Center, Rifle, from complications with Parkinson’s. Don was the oldest of three born August 21, 1931 to David and Inez W (Clark) Prentice in Detroit, MI.
Don married Roberta Carroll “Bobbi” Harding in 1969 and together they had two children, Keith David and Krystil Leonora Prentice. Don had three sons from a previous marriage, Iain Robin, Brian Donald and Neal Andrew Prentice. Don and Bobbi have shared homes in Sudbury, MA; Dayton, OH; McLean, VA; San Jose, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Aptos and Roseville, CA before moving to Battlement Mesa in 2003 to be closer to Bobbi’s sister, Leonora H. (Clyde) Backlund.
Don received BA degrees from Hope College in Philosophy and San Jose State in Math. After serving in Germany in the U.S.Army for two years, he attended Yale University Divinity School, but decided his career should follow in the “new age” of computers. He became an Information Systems Technology Engineer, and while employed with IBM, he designed and managed the development and installation of the world’s first on-line terminal system for 3 Eastern banks. Most of Don’s career was spent in Northern California where he worked with corporations such as RCA, NCR, Fairchild, National Semiconductor and finally having his own consulting firm until retirement. During retirement, Don taught at IntelliTec and CMC and thoroughly enjoyed substitute teaching at the surrounding school districts. He served on the District 16 school board, was President of Parachute Kiwanis, a member of a Poker Group and the “Has Been Coffee Group” At the time of death, he was still involved with his partners, Alec I Ostrom and Brian Hack in developing the Digital Age Learning System Model (DALS)
Don loved any and all sports, either having participated or coached most of them, with his favorites being football and golf. He thoroughly enjoyed planting flowers and having a beautiful yard and entertainment areas for the children. He had a quiet gentle sense of humor.
Don is survived by his wife, Roberta; children: Iain Robin Prentice of Sacramento, CA, Brian Donald (Anna C) Prentice of Sidney, Australia, Neal Andrew Prentice of San Jose, CA, Keith David Prentice of Sacramento, CA and Krystil Leonora (J. Anthony) Hamm of Rolesville, NC; grandsons; Christopher Robin, Jason Anthony Prentice, and James David Hamm; a sister, Peggy Arlene (Stanley C.) Scarborough of WA; a brother, Robert William (Jill) Prentice of San Francisco, CA
Cremation will be by Science Care and a Veteran’s Memorial Service with Honor Guard will take place at Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western CO, July 3, at 1:00 p.m, 2830 Riverside Parkway (D Road) Grand Junction.