Lance Carleton Clem

October 20, 1950 ~ April 6, 2016
Lance Carleton Clem, 65, died from Merkel Cell cancer at 3 am on April 6, 2016 in Littleton Adventist Hospital. Lance was born on October 20, 1950 in St. Charles Missouri to Donald Clem and Joyce Ryker. He has two younger siblings, Brad Clem (Broomfield, CO) and Laurie Frank (Los Alamos, NM). He and his family moved to Denver Colorado in October of 1964. He went to High School at George Washington in Denver, attended California Western Campus in San Diego in 1970 and graduated from Denver University in 1972. He majored in Journalism and was the editor of his college papers. After his graduation from DU, Lance worked at Computer Imaging Corporation of America in its pioneering days developing Scanimate, an analog computer for animation (video synthesizer) used in TV and film including The Electric Company to Star Wars. Before his 20 years with CDPS, Lance worked at the Denver Post, where he befriended Red Fenwick, and the Colorado Dept of Highways. He was active in Democratic politics and a poll watcher for many years with Governors Dick Lamm and Roy Romer. Lance retired in November 2015 as the Public Information Officer for the Colorado Department of Public Safety, which included the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado State Patrol, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. He was particularly proud of his work on Rommer's AIDS committee, motorcycle helmet laws, the Designated Driver Program, and the implementation of fusion centers. Highlights: Founding Member and past President of the Denver Professional Men's Club. Volunteered with and was a founding member of the Denver Police Museum Project. Involved in AIDS activism and spoke before congress on AIDS and Safety issues. He was friends with Rod Serling, Dick Erdman, director and actor, and Red Fenwick, Denver Post columnist. Favorite author was Mark Twain. Favorite quote: "Never let schooling stand in the way of a good education".... Mark Twain Favorite show was Downton Abbey. Favorite ridicule: "Uh, which way did he go".... Elmer Fudd Hated: Lists, heights, made in China, squirrels, and Rent the musical. Loved: Safety & law enforcement colleagues, watches, Mercedes, classical music, cooking & gardening, reading Sunday paper, and of course cashmere sweaters. Collected: coins, pens, meteorite fragments, and of course cashmere sweaters (hundreds). Endowments: The Lance C. Clem Endowment for Media, Film, and Journalism Studies at the University of Denver.
Service:
Thursday, April 14, 2016
GATHERING AND RECEPTION 4:00 pm UNTIL 7:00 pm 393 SOUTH HIGH STREET, DENVER, COLORADO 80209
Reception:
393 SOUTH HIGH STREET, DENVER, COLORADO 80209, 4:00 PM until 7:00PM
Dear Lance. You would have been 69 and this would have been or 14 Christmas together. Clifford and I will be wintering at our Palm Springs home. You would have liked him Pook. Love Douglas
4 years Lance and I still miss you. It is feeling more and more like a tragic drama I read years ago. You would be amazed with our martial law, president and COVID response Pook. I brought some of your Totems to PS and it has been wonderful getting to know Max Better. Love Forever, Douglas