Donald Edward “Sam” Sears, age 90, of Post Falls, Idaho, died May 3, 2021, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House. He was born Aug. 29, 1930, in Great Barrington, Mass., to Beatrice and Claude Sears. Sam graduated from Searles High School in June of 1948 and joined the U.S. Air Force the following week. Upon graduation from the U.S.A.F. photography school Sam was stationed to Rapid City Air Force Base in South Dakota.

Sam was married to Mary Cardwell on Sept. 22, 1951, in Sioux City, Iowa, and they moved back to Rapid City. Sam spent his entire 20-year military career in the field of photography and served as chief photographer at the summer White House for President John F. Kennedy. Sam retired in 1968 and they moved to Coeur d’Alene. Sam graduated from the North Idaho College forestry program in 1970 and was hired by the U.S. Forest Service to manage eight greenhouses. He retired in 1990 and became active in the V.F.W. holding offices at the national, state and local levels.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Sears of Coeur d’Alene; a daughter, Pamela Sears of Portland, Ore,; and a son, Don Sears of Yuma, Ariz., and Coeur d’Alene.

Sam was interred at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery. A memorial service with full military honors will be 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, at the Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., with a reception following at the Yates Hayden Chapel Gathering Center. Memorials may be sent to the V.F.W. National Home for Children, 3573 S. Waverley Road, Eaton Rapids, Mich. Please visit Sam’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com