Donald Earl Mielke

Donald E. Mielke passed away May 21, 2025 in Littleton, Colorado.  He was born October 5, 1944 in Chicago and spent his youth in Wheeling, Illinois.  After high school he attended the University of Michigan where he received two bachelor of science degrees in 1967 in Aerospace Engineering and Science Engineering.  Don moved to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to work as a systems engineer for General Electric Missile & Space Division and here he received a Masters of Engineering degree from Penn State University.  He soon moved to Colorado to work as a Systems Engineer for Martin Marietta Aerospace from 1969 to 1973 working on the Skylab Rescue Mission.  He attended the University of Denver College of Law evenings to receive his Juris Doctor in 1973.  He went into private practice of law and was a professor part time at two local colleges.  In 1980 he was elected as a State Representative to the Colorado House of Representative and served three terms.  Don was then elected twice as the District Attorney, First Judicial District of Colorado serving Jefferson and Gilpin Counties from 1987 to 1993.  He then returned to private law practice and became a senior law professor at the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria.  He taught US Constitutional Law and US Business Law at Lazarski University in Warsaw Poland and at the Russian Armenian (Slavic) University in Yerevan Armenia.  Don became a Commissioner of Uniform Laws representing Colorado when he was a state representative and continued to volunteer with the Commission to become a life member and served for 46 years.  He served on several drafting committees with the Uniform State Law Commission.  Don is survived by his wife Susan of 46 years, three stepsons and five granddaughters.  Don and Susan loved to travel, visiting all 50 states and 65 foreign countries.  Don loved to play golf and enjoyed watching all sports.  He loved the Colorado mountains and the mountain property he owned in Grand County.  Memorial contributions can be made to the Uniform Law Foundation, 111 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1010, Chicago, Illinois 60602 or your favorite charity.