Donald Russell Klemm

Donald Russell Klemm passed away February 6, 2026, in Bountiful, Utah, at the age of 77. Don was born September 2, 1948, in Washington D.C. to Walter Gerald and Erma Christofferson Klemm, six hours after his twin brother David, and would remain the youngest of four children.

The Klemms moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah, in 1950, where Don would spend his idyllic childhood filled with close friendships and family ties. His lifelong love of sports began here and some of his happiest memories were playing baseball, basketball, and flag football with his brother and the neighborhood gang. With Mt. Timpanogos as his backyard, Don developed a keen interest in mountain climbing. Campouts, hikes to the Indian camping ground, annual treks up Timp, and building forts on the “G” mountain all proved to be great fun. Don was also very active in scouting, ultimately becoming an Eagle Scout.

At Pleasant Grove High School, Don continued to excel at sports and in his senior year broke the school’s high jump record that would not be broken again for 20 years. He would later go on to set the Weber State high jump record.

After graduating from PGHS in 1966, Don and his brother were both recruited to play football for Weber State. It was here that Don met his best friend and future wife, Joan Rice, and they married on August 12, 1967, in Pleasant Grove. They were married for 57 years.

Don completed his degree in business management and graduated in 1970. Shortly after graduation, Don received a draft notice from the US Army. In lieu of being drafted, he agreed to sign up for the three-year enlistment in exchange for the opportunity to attend Officer Candidate School. This was the start of his 30-year career in the military. The Army was the quintessential career for a travel buff like Don. He volunteered for a one-year tour of duty in Korea, and three separate tours in Germany. Interspersed among these overseas tours were stateside postings to Ft. Huachuca, AZ, Ft. Bragg, NC, Ft. McPherson, GA, Ft. Meade, MD, and the Pentagon. The Army also sent him on prestigious schooling assignments including the Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College. The most rewarding of these assignments was a two-year battalion command at Ft. Meade. Also rewarding was a six-month deployment to Bosnia, as Chief of Counterintelligence and human intelligence for the American Forces.

Don and Joan made the most of their time overseas, taking many memorable trips while stationed in Korea and Germany. Highlights included journeys to Japan, the Nordkapp, Greece, and the Alpine region of Europe.

Upon retirement from the Army in 2000, Don remained in the Washington D.C. area and began a new career as a civil servant, serving in leadership positions at several Department of Defense intelligence agencies. In 2011, Don retired and he and Joan moved to Bountiful, Utah, where they enjoyed exploring the Wasatch range and being near their parents.

He is survived by his wife Joan, his daughter Juli and her husband Michael Brodsky, and grandchildren Hayes and Aliza. He is also survived by his brother David (Terri) Klemm, two sisters, Geradine (George) Burnside and Christine (Andy) Flowers, and many nieces and nephews.

A service in Don's honor will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Trails Utah Foundation, https://trailsutah.org.