Donald Robert Laz (1929 - 1996)

Born 17 May 1929 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA

Died 21 Feb 1996 at age 66 in Champaign, Champaign County, Illinois, USA

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Biography

Don Laz is Notable.

"Donald Robert "Don" Laz (May 17, 1929 – February 21, 1996)^[1] was an American pole vaulter. He won a silver medal at the 1952 Olympics and a bronze at the 1955 Pan American Games. Domestically he held the NCAA title in 1951 and shared the AAU title in 1953. After retiring from competitions he worked as an architect in Champaign, Illinois, and retired after suffering a stroke."^[2]

Don was born on 17 May 1929 in Cook County, Illinois.^[3], The family residence initially was Park Forest Illinois, then they became residents of Aurora Illinois no later than 1936.

Don's Elementary education was at Freeman School, that was just about the "length of a football field" distance from the home at 159 Evanslawn. His two older brothers were graduates of West Aurora High School, then while they were in the service, Don would attend and then graduate 1943-1947.

It is not hyperbole to say that Don Laz was the greatest high school athlete in the 150 year history of the School. Some of the highlights of that observation will be listed below.

He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois.^[2]

On 30 Jan 1951, Don married Nancy June Barber in Springfield, Illinois. The caption on the wedding photo found at Wikimedia.org give's Don's brother's name as Lee.^[4]

On 10 Aug 1952, Don flew from London to New York, presumably returning from the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. The flight manifest likely shows other athletes that took this trip with him. It would be interesting to research this a little further.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V9Q5-KTB : 20 May 2014), Don Laz, 21 Feb 1996; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Don Laz on Wikipedia.org
3. ↑ Don Laz bio; Sports Reference (site is now closed). Information included here gives his dates and locations of birth and death as well as a short bio.
4. ↑ By Associated Press [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons: 1951 Press Photo Don Laz Illinois track star Nancy June - RRQ27855 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Don_Laz_with_wife_1951.jpg) ; accessed on 2 Feb 2018 by J Ricketts
5. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HMH-L99 : 2 October 2015), Donald R Laz, 1952; citing Immigration, New York City, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

See also:

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 02 February 2018), memorial page for Donald R Laz (17 May 1929–21 Feb 1996), Find A Grave: Memorial #64992721, citing Mount Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum, Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Jeanine (contributor 47391467) .