Donald William Renlund

Donald W. Renlund died peacefully on April 17^th, 2009 in Madison, WI. He was born on the Iron Range in Buhl, MN, on September 30^th, 1917, to William and Elizabeth Renlund and enjoyed his childhood years hunting and fishing in Buhl, while spending summers working on his grandparent's farm in Floodwood. There, he spoke the Finnish language and learned about hard work and determination (sisu) that the Finns are known for. He became skilled in driving the team of draft horses and came to know many of the local Indians who canoed the river that ran through the farm (stopping to trade for supplies).

After attending junior college in Virginia, MN, where he received a degree in Chemical Engineering, Don headed to Duluth, where he worked on iron ore boats sailing the Great Lakes. In 1941, he and a friend decided to hop the rails ""hobo style"" and head to Southern California looking for work. While there, he worked at North American Aviation assembling AT-6 Texans, P-51 Mustangs and B-25 Mitchells, and was offered further education in engineering. Instead, his sense of patriotic duty during WWII called him to enlist in the U.S. Navy as a medic, serving on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Hoggatt Bay seeing combat in the Pacific.

In 1943, he met Tina, a beautiful Army WAC, in Daytona Beach, FL, while stationed in Jacksonville. They married in Waukegan, IL, on September 3, 1943. At the end of the war, Don and Tina moved to Minneapolis, where Don obtained an accounting certificate. After working for a short time in the field, they headed to Duluth, where he earned a B.A. degree in Biology and Geography from the University of Minnesota. Susan was born in 1950, shortly before the family moved to Lincoln, NE, where he received an M.S. degree in Entomology at the University of Nebraska. He continued doctoral studies in Madison and was writing his dissertation, when he was offered a job with the State of Wisconsin, where he spent 26 years as Chief of Forest Entomology, traveling nearly every road in the state.

Daughter Mary was born in 1955 and son Mark arrived in 1959, bringing additional joy. Many fun years were spent on family camping trips, canoeing, hunting for fossils and agates, learning about insects and visiting relatives in Kansas, Colorado and Minnesota. No trip was complete without stopping along the way for a learning experience. Don's interests included science, music, dance, poetry, animals and a passion for learning and knowledge. Words describing Don, would be thoughtful, considerate, fair-minded, investigative, generous and a ""student of everything in life."" He enjoyed travels throughout the U.S. and world, especially a family trip to his ancestral home of Finland. In addition, he received many honors over the years and was an active member of the American Entomological Society, the Elks Club and the Experimental Aircraft Association. Hobbies included, reading, short wave radio, bowling, archery and Sunday dance outings with Tina. Don is survived by wife Tina, daughter Susan Simonson (Richard), of Oregon, WI, Mary Wallace (Greg), of Tucson, AZ, and son Mark of Vancouver, WA, as well as grandson Spencer Wallace and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert and sister Mercedes Rautio.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 24^th, 2009, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 602 Everglade Dr., Madison, with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Monsignor Donn Heiar will celebrate, with burial to be determined at a later date.

The family would like to give special thanks to the wonderful caregivers at St. Mary's Care Center, (University Lane unit). Memorials in Don's name may be made to St. Mary's Care Center, 3401 Maple Grove Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717.