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Donald Wayne Buckles, 94 passed away peacefully at his home in Mitchell, SD on Sunday, October 10, 2021.  Visitation will be Sunday 3-5pm. Services will be Monday at 10:30am at Will Funeral Chapel, graveside services, lunch and a time for reflection following.

Don was born to Ed and Mae (Conser) Buckles on April 21, 1927, in Mitchell, SD.  Don was born in and grew up in Mitchell.  Growing up he shared the company of his four sisters, numerous friends from school who remained close friends until his passing. He enjoyed hunting, racing motorcycles and built a boat in the back yard of his parent's home and launched it on Lake Mitchell.  He loved a night out on the town with friends for dancing and enjoying each other's company; the story goes they would even sneak a little nip with them into the dances sometimes.  Don enlisted in the Navy on May 24, 1945, attained the rank of Fireman 1 ^st Class and served his time in California before being Honorably Discharged on ­­­July 8, 1946 and came home to Mitchell.

Don married Leona Fuerst where they began life as a blended family; they moved to Denver, CO so he could pursue his career as a prosthetist.  He attended UCLA – Los Angles, Northwestern in Chicago, and New York U in New York which enabled him to pursue his chosen career. He worked many years for Long's Limb Shop, before setting out on his own.  He operated "Don Buckles Prosthetics" until he retired. During his career he cared greatly for each of his clients and wanted to enrich their lives. A few of the clients Don was most proud of, and had the opportunity to work with were members of the Para Olympics team, a former CIA agent, and being selected out of a room of prosthetists to care for a Vietnam Veteran that was a quadriplegic.  He even had one client whose dog was missing a leg and so Don happily made a limb for the dog.

As his children grew up, Don volunteered his time to the Highlander Boys program where he was the Range Instructor.  His Rifle Team which included his boys traveled around to numerous competitions in a multi-state area.  His family spent many hours in the basement shop at home where Don shared his many talents with his family.  We enjoyed leather work, woodworking, sewing talents (that including how to alter clothing), working with upholstery, reloading ammunition and the list goes on.  Don also was a collector of many things including guns of all kinds.  If you entered his home, you would see the many types of clocks he collected, including grandfather clocks and coo-coo clocks.  Many of his family and friends have tried to count them on more than one occasion and have come up with a number of just under 100 clocks!

Don admired Buffalo Bill, he would suit up in his Buffalo Bill attire, and made many appearances. Don appeared many times at the Buffalo Bill Grave Museum in Denver, he participated in many look-a-like contests and won quite a few.  A picture of him as Buffalo Bill hangs in the Buckhorn Exchange restaurant in Denver.

After retiring, he moved back to Mitchell where he again enjoyed the company of his sisters, friends and high school buddies until his passing. Don was one of the last few remaining in his class from high school.  Don has now joined the gang and they can fish, hunt, ice skate and reminisce as much as they'd like.

Don is survived by his sisters Virginia Currie of Oklahoma City, OK and Donna (Johnny) Rothones, of Loveland, CO; his son's Terry (Connie) & Donald (Cindy), of Denver, CO; Roger of Davenport, FL & Wayne of Wingate, NC; his daughters LeAnne (Al) & Julie (Greg)of Denver, CO, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.

Preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Mae Buckles, sisters and brother in-law Dorothy Talbert, Phyllis & Russell Whitney, former wife Leona Buckles, daughter MaryAnn Proctor, grandson Aaron Barbin, granddaughter Brandi Eha, and many of his lifelong friends and classmates.

Don, fair winds to you, you will be greatly missed.