Donald Arthur Golden

Donald Arthur Golden passed away May 4, 2012 shortly before his 101st birthday. He was born in Palmyra, Wisconsin on May 14, 1911 and was the only child of Emma Bauer Golden and Thomas Arthur Golden. Don started his career in education as a teacher in a one room country school in Eureka, South Dakota. He first came to Phoenix in 1939 to teach Math at Phoenix College and coach football, basketball and track assisting George ‘Dutch’ Hoy. During WWII he served in the Navy as a navigator with the Blue Raiders in the Pacific theatre. He met and married Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Wellman and returned to Phoenix in 1950 to teach Physics and Engineering at Phoenix College. From 1954 until his retirement in 1976 he served as Personnel Manager for the Phoenix Union High School District and was proud of the many excellent teachers he brought to Arizona on his recruiting trips across the US. In his retirement years Don sold tax shelter annuities and later graded geometry papers for an online high school until he was 92 years old. He and Betty enjoyed traveling and golf and he was a regular at Turf Paradise. Don is survived by his two daughters Sally (Andre) Hansen of Fallbrook, CA and Ann (Alan) Veeh of Chandler, three grandchildren Adam, Alissa, and Allison, great granddaughter Bridget and special friend, Fran Hansen. Don will be remembered for the many contributions he made to Arizona education, his sense of humor, and his wonderful storytelling. Private services will be held and he will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife of 55 years in the AZ Veterans’ National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Donald Golden Scholarship Fund through the Maricopa Community College Foundation. The fund will provide scholarships towards tuition and books for Phoenix Union HS district graduates who wish to attend Phoenix College. www.ALMoore-Grimshaw.com