Norman "Norm" Nelson

Norman “Norm” Nelson, age 97, of Green Lake, passed away on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin. He was born on August 5, 1928, in Chicago, IL, a son of Clarence and Lillian (Holst) Nelson.

Norm attended Lane Technical High School and worked part time after school at a machine shop. He then worked for one year, full time on screw machines and took evening classes in math, machine design and business writing at Northwestern University College. He was then hired as a draftsman for the former F.B. Redington Company of Chicago, staying there for 17 years becoming chief draftsman and later machine designer. During those years at Redington, Norm also proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1950-1952 during the Korean War. He left Redington to work at American Can Company in Barrington, IL, as a machine design engineer for 9 years. Norm then worked for Castle Company as an on-assignment design engineer and finished out his career with Engineers Company of Chicago, IL, before retiring.

He was a lifetime member of V.F.W. Post 10452 in Princeton, WI, where he helped with the plans to build the V.F.W. Post. When Norm was younger, he enjoyed bowling, softball, and golfing. His other interests included traveling in his recreation vehicle, spending 9 winters in Green Valley, AZ, with his brother Larry, fishing, doing crossword puzzles, playing cribbage, and working in his wood shop. He also enjoyed working around his home painting, building decks and gardening.

Those left behind to cherish his memory include his special friends, Dick (Pam) Rohde of Ripon, John (Linda) Witte of Green Lake; other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Lillian Nelson; brother, Lawrence “Larry” Nelson.

A gathering of family and friends of Norman Nelson will take place on Friday, September 19, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., at the Wachholz and Sons Funeral Home, 303 Harvard St., in Princeton. There will be military honors at 4:30 p.m. Norm will be buried on the family plot on September 22, 2025 in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Arlington Heights, IL. Please visit our website www.wachholzandsons.com to send a condolence or to share a memory of Norm with his family.

Wachholz and Sons Funeral Home

Sunset Cremation Center in Princeton

Serving the Family, 920-295-6631

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