Obituary
Nancy A. Tolvstad
Nancy A. Tolvstad was born February 9, 1931 in La Crosse, WI to Howard L. and Nellie (Dahlby) Westerhouse and was a lifelong Onalaska resident. From a young age she was an accomplished singer. She sang in the Onalaska Methodist Church choir, the Onalaska High School choir and sang at many weddings and funerals. In 1949 she began her 20 year career at State Bank of La Crosse as bookkeeper and head teller. On August 24, 1953 she married Wallace L. Tolvstad and they had two children, Carol and John. Wally died in 1982. One of Nancy’s greatest accomplishments was compiling the history of Onalaska in newspaper extractions and photographs as well as personal recollections. She loved the “old Onalaska” that she grew up in. In 2015 she was given the Outstanding Historian Award by the Onalaska Area Historical Society and a Proclamation was made by Onalaska’s Mayor making March 10, 2015 Nancy Tolvstad Day. The OAHS named Nancy Person of the Year in 2017.
Nancy passed away at SpringBrook Assisted Living Memory Care in Onalaska on September 3, 2025.
She is survived by her daughter, Carol Krogan and her husband Bryan as well as her son John; her sister, Barbara Thompson of South Dakota and a niece and nephew and their families. Nancy is also survived by her good friend, Lois Riniker.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, September 15, 2025 at The Gathering Place located at 133 Mason St, Onalaska, WI. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Lunch will follow. Memorials are preferred as her family will direct them to Nancy’s favorite charity. Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family.
My condolences to Nancy’s family and friends on her passing to eternal life. I count her as a long time friend and distant relative. Especially in the early years beginning in the 1950s at church and community.
We sang in the same choirs and musical productions.
It’s been quite some time since we’ve communicated, but through the years we conversed in person or through the internet about family relationships and Onalaska history.
Her efforts to record and archive so much historical information will be cherished by many for all time.
RIP, and sing with that lovely soprano voice among the Heavenly angels Nancy ❤️🙏🕊️