Donald Clayton Hume

Donald Clayton Hume, 89, a former resident of Miami, OK, passed away on Monday, July 10th in Bartlesville, OK. Don was born on April 24, 1928, in Anderson, Missouri, to Okle and Ruth (Scritchfield) Hume. Don spent his childhood in Grove and the surrounding area. Some of his favorite memories were the many happy hours spent manning the soda fountain at his stepdad’s drugstore in Grove, where he worked all through his teen years. At the age of eighteen, while visiting his sister in Alpine, Texas, he met Bettigene Slover, and he spent the next five years courting her long distance. Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the fall of 1948 and was stationed in San Diego, California when they married on July 19th, 1951. San Diego was home for the next eleven years. While in the military, Don had developed an interest in making purses, billfolds, and other leather items. After being discharged from the Navy, Don began working in law enforcement, and his leather work transitioned to holsters and related equipment for the police. As interest in his products grew, Don resigned from the Sheriff’s department and began producing police equipment in his garage, which he called “an exciting but uncertain venture into the business world.” In 1962, Don moved his family and business to Oklahoma, and through the years Don Hume products became world-renowned for quality and performance. Still, Don noted in his memoirs: “I owe what success we have had to our loyal production employees, many who have celebrated twenty plus years, and several, over thirty years.” Don was preceded in death by his wife, Bettigene, his half brother, Henry Paul Carter, his sister, Utoka Louise Jackson, and his granddaughter, Melissa Kathleen Winnie. Survivors include daughter Joanna Winnie, of Miami, and Kathy Smith and her husband Kevin, of Bartlesville, six grandchildren, Jason Winnie, Michael Winnie, Katy French, Emily Weiblen, Erik Smith, and Laura Smith, along with six great grandchildren, Harper Winnie, Isaac Winnie, Isabelle Winnie, Clara Winnie, Alice Winnie, and Evan Weiblen. Celebration of life services will be held at 2PM Friday, July 14th, 2017 at First Baptist Church with Dr. Mark Rasor officiating. Interment will follow in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery under the care of Brown Winters Funeral Home and Cremation Services. The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to Feed the Children, PO Box 36, Oklahoma City, OK 73101.

Donald Clayton Hume

April 24, 1928 - July 10, 2017