William "Bill" D. Nelson

William D. “Bill” Nelson, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Naples, Florida, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2026, after a short illness. He was surrounded by his beloved wife, Linda, and adored daughter, Deborah, at the time of his passing.

Bill was born April 3, 1938, in Owatonna, Minnesota, to William and Ruth “Ona” Kellar. He was the eldest of three children.

After graduating from high school in Green Bay in 1956, Bill went to work for a local construction company, helping build the new City Stadium (Lambeau Field).

Bill went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry from Iowa State College in 1960. He then volunteered for the U.S. Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, and served from 1962 to 1965 at Fort Gulick in the Panama Canal Zone. Bill was among a small group of soldiers tasked with training and advising Latin American armies against Soviet- and Cuban-backed insurgencies during the height of the Cold War. President John F. Kennedy, who championed the Special Forces, called the green beret “a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom,” traits Bill embodied throughout his life.

Bill married Emily “Midge” Carol Cohn in 1964, and together they raised two daughters, Deborah and Deanna.

After his honorable discharge, Bill pursued his dream of being a cowboy, ranching in Wyoming and Montana. Opportunities in the food business came in 1968, setting him on a career path that brought him to Eau Claire in 1977 to work alongside his father at Silver Spring Foods. Bill succeeded his father as President and General Manager, serving from 1984 to 2003. After retiring, he continued to serve on the company’s Board of Directors.

In 1995, Bill met Linda Brenner, and they married July 7, 2001, in Eau Claire. Their retirement years were spent between Stone Lake, Wisconsin, Naples, Florida, and Eau Claire. He and Linda shared many activities, including canoeing, kayaking, lumberjacking, snowshoeing, biking, hiking, skiing (including the Birkie), scuba diving and fishing. They also never missed a chance to enjoy a cold beer and fish fry with friends.

An avid hunter and outdoorsman, Bill pursued his passion with trips to Montana and Nebraska and fulfilled a lifelong dream with an African safari. Friends and family will remember him as good-humored, a lover of the outdoors and a man who led by example. He fondly recounted his experiences in Montana and the Panamanian jungle as lessons in the power of nature.

Bill is survived by his wife of 24 years, Linda Brenner; his brother, Daryl Nelson (Amy); his daughter, Deborah Stuckert (Bob); and his son, Beau Bauer (Amy). Also surviving are his grandchildren, William Stuckert (Melanie), Max Stuckert (Natallia) and Maxfield Youngberg; and great-grandchildren Natalie and Liam, children of William and Melanie.

Preceding him in passing were his sister, Donna Marie Nelson Fatzinger (2004) and his daughter, Deanna Lynn Nelson (2011).

Come Celebrate the Life of Bill Nelson on what would have been his 88th birthday at Hulke Family Funeral Home on Friday, April 3, 2026 from 3-6 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials in Bill's name to the Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute Donate in Bill's Name  Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com. 

Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 3209 Rudolph Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 is assisting the family with the arrangements.