Donald A. Nelson

MADISON/PORTAGE  --  Donald A. Nelson, age 75 passed away on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at UW-Hospital in Madison.

Don was born on January 24, 1940, in Portage, and raised on a farm in Lewiston Township, the son of Arthur and Mabel (Burton) Nelson.  He graduated from Portage High School in 1959.  On September 9, 1961, he married Jean M. Lehman at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Portage.  Don was employed by the Columbia County Sherriff’s Department for 14 years, at ICA Insurance, and then he opened Nelson Insurance Agency which he had currently operated.  He enjoyed cars, football, boating, and watching his grandkids’ sporting events. Don loved telling jokes and was a great storyteller.  His family was the love of his life.        

Survivors include his wife, Jean Nelson, of Portage; his children, Scott (Amy) Nelson, of Appleton, Rob Nelson, Mark (Dawn) Nelson, and Sara (Dan) Kastenholz, all of Portage; his grandchildren, Brady, Kyle, Dylan, Erik, Lauren, Cody, Emily, Jakob, Katelyn, Kelley, Timothy, Andrew, and Kevyn; his great-grandchildren, Janelle, Julie, Michael, and Hudson; his sister, Nat (Claire) Robson, of Poynette; his dogs, Tigger and Scooter, other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Tim, his sister and brother-in-law, Marion (Roger) Strasburg, his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Edward and Katherine Lehman, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Robert (Marion) Lehman, his brother-in-law, Donald Lehman, his nephew, Tom Lehman, and his dogs, Ben, Scamper, Howie and Barney.    

Memorial services will be held at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage.  Inurnment will be private.  Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to the Columbia County Humane Society.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at F4/5 at UW-Hospital, especially nurses, Austin, Ali and Angela, and Dr. Goldman and his staff.