Donald Frederick Nilsson, 95, of Onalaska, WI, passed away due to complications of COVID-19 on November 1, 2021 at Benedictine Living Community in La Crosse.

He was born on December 14, 1925 to Alvina K. (Roth) and Gustav Frederick Nilsson in Minneapolis, MN.

He married the love of his life, Jeanne Annelu Carlson on February 10, 1945 in Minneapolis and had been married almost 75 years when Jeanne passed in October 2019.

Don was a WWII Navy veteran. He spent his working career as Maintenance
Supervisor at Hitchcock Industries, first at their Bloomington, MN location and later in Dennison, TX. He was a dedicated employee, always on call. He demanded performance from his crew, but always looked out for them and found lifelong friends among his coworkers.

Don was a humble man, but he possessed self-confidence in his ability to make or fix just about anything. He was a skilled electrician, furniture and home builder. After he and Jeanne retired to Hot Springs Village, AK he spent his 70s and 80s helping neighbors and friends with home repairs and helped build and repair his children’s and grandchildren’s homes. He is remembered by his family as a wonderful dad and grandpa who parented and grand-parented with humor, calm, kindness, and selfless giving of his time.

He is survived by a daughter, Candace Maxwell (Andrew Maxwell) and a son, Craig Nilsson (Cristeen Custer); four grandchildren, Jesse McKinney (Scott Alo), Corey Dressel, Emily Maxwell (Travis Seigenthaler), James Maxwell (Jacqueline Bandholz Maxwell); and 12 great-grandchildren, Kady and Izzy Seigenthaler, Jesse, Peter, Rayna Dressel, Jack Misch, Owen, Oliver, Ella, and Charlie McKinney, and Brianne and Jessica Alo.

The family would like to thank Gunderson Lutheran Hospice, and the caregivers at Benedictine Living Community in La Crosse.