Russell Daniel Nelson Jr. "Dan"

Russell Daniel Nelson Jr. “Dan”, born December 25, 1942 to Roleah and Russell Nelson in Oakland, CA left this earth to be with God on August 30, 2024 with his devoted and caring wife of 58 years, Harriet at his side. 

Dan lived in Belleville, WI as a young boy and later moved to Madison, growing up on Baltzell St, graduating from West high in 1960. He attended UW Platteville and after graduation began his 37 year teaching career in the Madison Metropolitan School District at then Orchard Ridge Middle School, now Toki Middle. He played a critical and innovative role in bringing technology into middle school classrooms across the State of Wisconsin. He had the opportunity to visit and learn at NASA, the Jet propulsion Lab and Cray academy. He served as president of Wisconsin Technology Education Association and ITEA. Dan was a firm believer in the teacher's union, MTI and helped create their webpage. In retirement he enjoyed being a substitute teacher for his own grandsons at Toki. 

His students and family know he was famous for asking the question “What is technology?”

He was a wonderful and energetic husband, father, grandfather, friend, teacher, coach, and leader. His kindness and strength were realized by so many lives that he helped shape and influence. An eclectic, resourceful, knowledgeable renaissance man, Dan was the kind of person you just don’t see very often anymore. As a gifted and mechanically inclined person, he knew how everything worked, he could take anything apart and fix it, his garage had tools you had never seen before, tools that fixed other tools. He built his own three car garage, wired it, and roofed it, all himself. The entire time he lived on Sunset Drive in Verona a repair man never came to the house. If anything needed fixing he fixed it. If the riding lawn mower engine or hydrostatic converter was broken, you might find a blanket in the garage with 200 parts spread out on it as he rebuilt the lawn mower himself. Living out in the middle of nowhere in the 1970’s, when only 5 local T.V. channels existed, he constructed a mighty antenna tower that could bring in 44 channels. A lover of audio/visual technology Dan was taking 8mm video long before anyone else, and then VHS video, resulting in a treasure trove of family history video dating back to the 50’s.

He was a standout athlete. Growing up he spent the summers water skiing on the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. He lettered at outside linebacker for West High School, and lettered in baseball. He participated in ski-Jumping as a member of the Black Hawk Ski Club and sailed off the 90 meter ski-jump at Westby WI . He represented the Verona Home Talent Baseball team at the Wisconsin All-Star game and went on to hit many home runs at the local Verona softball parks. He was an outstanding skier, water skier, hockey player, golfer, or just about any sport that you could think of. His sons have humorous stories of him jumping so far through the air on downhill skis that they delaminated, or breaking out of his skates while skating. As a teacher that often had the summer months off, his two sons enjoyed the luxury of a father that could spend all summer coaching their baseball teams and teaching them to participate in numerous activities that instilled the value of collaboration and hard work.

Dan was an amazing husband to his high school sweetheart Harriet and was blessed to celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary together on August 20th. Perhaps his greatest attribute was his capacity to love his family. Remembered are the photographs of himself and Harriet attending High School dances. Their love and devotion to one another was a beautiful gift to their family. Dan's sons were the light of his life and brought him endless joy and pride. He was extremely proud of Dan and David who also attended UW Platteville. His face would light up when he would be unable to keep from brimming with pride about his grandchildren. He always made those close to him know that he had for them what he called “unconditional love.” Love that was always there, did not need to be earned, and could not be lost. That was a gift that he gave to those he loved. He emphasized that “his door was always open, and everyone was always welcome.” 

More recently Dan loved having his Thursday Lunch with Harriet at Quivey's Grove where the staff knew them on a first-name basis and would just put their standing order in when they arrived. Dan also loved the friendship and comradery of playing cards with a special group of his high school classmates. 

Dan was a lover of religion, science, and the cosmos. He was a founding member and moderator at Heritage Congregational Church. Dan, Harriet and their boys Dan and David would lie out on the driveway at their rural home on Sunset Drive at night looking at the infinite stars and galaxies as dad would discuss things like the existence of a soul, heaven, and the exciting unimaginable journey of life after death. His faith was his guidepost and a source of comfort and strength. After working so hard, and giving so much to his family, he is now on that exciting journey. 

Dan is survived by his loving wife, Harriet, son Daniel and wife Sharel, grandchildren Conrad,Riley and Clara, son David and wife Maggie, grandchildren Anna, Teresa, Joseph and Maria . 

Please leave us your fondest memories on the Cress Funeral Home Site. 

Cress Center

6021 University Ave.

Madison, WI  53705

(608) 238-8406