Obit: Nelson, Donald W. (1933 - 2016)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Blasel, Kruescher, Maloney, Marczak, Nelson, Petersen, Schield, Strebig,

----Source: WIGM/WKEB Obituaries (Medford, WI) 5/23/2016

Nelson, Donald W. (25 NOV 1933 - 21 MAY 2016)

Donald W. Nelson, age 82, of Stevens Point, went to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at the Portage County Health Care Center surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.

Donald was born November 25, 1933 to the late Chester & Gertrude (Strebig) Nelson in Medford, WI.

He grew up on the family farm in the town of Hammel and attended Meadowbrook grade school. He graduated from Medford High School in 1951 and attended a short course in farming at UW-Madison.

Donald married Alice Blasel at Zion Lutheran Church on September 6, 1958 in Stetsonville, WI. They had three daughters, Cindy, Beth, & Sharon.

Donald operated heavy equipment for P.C. Kaiser from 1956 to 1964, working on the WI interstate system out of Portage, WI. He was a semi truck driver most of his working career; driving for Neuendorf Transportation and Steel King Industries in Stevens Point, WI. Donald retired in 1997. From 2004 to 2013, Donald drove potato truck for Wysocki Potato Company during harvest season.

One of his greatest lifetime achievements was driving 4.2 million accident free miles. He was awarded Mack Truck’s Million Mile Award in 1974. He was also Driver of the Month by Wisconsin Motor Carrier in September 1980 and was acknowledged for his outstanding service as a professional driver in February of 1981 by Motor Carriers Association.

In his free time, Donald enjoyed camping with his family, water skiing, snowmobiling, and snow skiing. After retirement, they purchased a motor home and became full time RV’ers, living summers in Canada and winters in Texas. He spent time fishing in Wisconsin, Canada, and Texas. He and his wife, Alice, hunted deer, elk, and moose in Wisconsin, Wyoming, Texas and Canada.

Donald is survived by his wife of 57 years, Alice Nelson of Stevens Point; daugthers, Cindy (Mike) Marczak of Stevens Point, Sharon (Tim) Maloney of Avon, IN, and son-in-law, Kirk Schield of Two Harbors, MN; 7 grandchildren, Daniel, Benjamin, Anna, and Sara Schield, Trevor and MacKenzie Maloney, and Dean Marczak. He is further survived by sister, Shirley Kruescher of Stetsonville, WI; mother-in-law, Leona Blasel; along with other beloved family.

He is preceded in death by daughter, Beth Schield; his parents; and father-in-law, Ed Blasel.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 26, 2016 at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Rev. Thomas Petersen officiating.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 25th at the Boston Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and also on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Committal will be at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be established at a later date. Online condolences may be made at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.

The family would like to extend their appreciation to the Staff at Ministry Saint Michaels Hospital, Ministry Hospice, and Portage County Health Care Center for the wonderful care that was given to Donald.

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