Donavon "Don" J Saunders was born in Kadoka, SD on January 8, 1944 to Julius "Cricket" Saunders and Elloween (Wright) Saunders. He grew up on the family ranch/farm south of Interior, SD and attended all his school years at both Interior Grade and High School where he met and married Margaret "Peggy" Pourier and from this union they had three children.

Don passed away peacefully April 24, 2017 at Rapid City Regional Hospital after a three-year battle with COPD. He will be remembered dearly for his compassion, smile, laughter and genuine heart that touched so many during his lifetime.

He traveled many roads throughout his life enabling him to experience a variety of careers such as a rancher, bull rider, accountant, bar owner, real estate agent, card dealer, contractor, and construction foreman. As a young man he competed in both SDRA and NRCA as a bull rider. He began his career at Black Hills Packing Plant and United Buckingham Freight. He later returned home to the family ranch and built the Wayward Inn where he remained until 1985 when he moved to Rapid City, SD and met Marlis Brunson.  They were married October 1, 1993 and lived in Piedmont, SD while he traveled throughout the US as a foreman for System 3 Inc. constructing wind turbines until retiring in May 2014.

He will forever be cherished by his wife, Marlis Brunson Saunders (Rapid City, SD); his three children, Darty Saunders (Shawnee, KS), Stephanie Kjerstad and her husband Kent (Quinn, SD), and Victoria Jackson and her husband Chris (Washington, DC); grandchildren, Bobbi Jo and her husband Mark, Toni, Quincy and his wife Krysia, Natasha, Katrina and her husband Alex, Tiana, Tayla, Ameyna, and Rylee; four great grandchildren, Lani, Jase, Marty Joe and Kynsli. Three step-children, Kristie Romero and her husband Don (Rock Springs, WY), Wm Brunson (Gordon, NE) and Sophie Ekwall (Rapid City, SD); three step-grandchildren, Matthew, Josh, and Josie; and two sisters Beverly Goodsell and Betty Erskine.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and his maternal and paternal grandparents.

A Celebration of Life will be held April 28, 2017 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm at the American Legion Post 22, 818 E. St. Patrick St., Rapid City, SD for all friends and family.