Nicolas Anthony Rydell

Nicolas Anthony Rydell, age 43, of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away on September 23rd, 2024.

He was born on April 28, 1981 in Shawano, Wisconsin, the son of Ann Rydell and Ted Rydell. He grew up in Shawano next to Forest Haven Park where his sisters Noelle and Angela took turns pushing him on the swing set and catching him at the bottom of the slide. He never grew out of marveling at bugs on milkweed pods, playing computer games with his younger brother Thad, voraciously reading all kinds of books, eating whatever nutritious offerings his mother made for him, enjoying his family lake up North, and letting pets of all kinds cuddle with him. 

Those who knew Nick loved him for his humor, passion, creativity, wit, keen mind and generous spirit. Nick had a deep appreciation for family. To his nieces Fiona and Elodie, for whom he babysat for many years, he was the “funcle,” a fun uncle who never tired of playing games and supporting them through every stage of growing up.

Nick’s academic path began as an honors graduate of Shawano High School and culminated in his achievements at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Minnesota Law School where he graduated cum laude. He went on to serve as a Law Clerk for Judge Caroline H. Lennon at the Minnesota First Judicial District and later for Judge Rachel A. Graham at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. He worked as an associate business attorney with Palmersheim Dettmann, S.C. Most recently, his talent for wordsmithing and deep conviction for fairness brought him to his role as an Appellate Attorney/Clerk for the State of Wisconsin.

Nick was passionate about music and the arts. An accomplished guitarist, saxophonist, keyboardist and singer, he was also a gifted composer and writer. In high school he amassed music awards in instrumental performance and voice. In college he wrote award-winning fiction and toured the country with a ska band during summer breaks. Nick's love for creativity was something he eagerly shared with friends and family, bringing people together through impromptu performances and thoughtful discussions celebrating the nuances of life. His originality and warmth were boundless, and he found great joy in sharing himself with others.

Nick will be missed by his loving family, his partner Cortney Jones, and his many friends in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, October 12, at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, Wisconsin. Visitors are welcome to come for a 3:00 pm visitation followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 4:00 pm. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in memoriam to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music, https://foundation4schoolmusic.org/ways-to-give/. In addition, a fund to gift children’s books to local libraries will be established in memoriam via in-person donations at the service.

“Nothing is lost... Everything is transformed.” --Michael Ende, The Neverending Story

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road Madison

(608) 238-3434