Duane Nelson, age 65, a resident of Barron, entered into rest on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at Barron Health and Rehabilitation in Barron, having fought a long, hard battle with cancer.

Duane was born on March 6, 1955, in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, to parents Emmett and Jerry (Sorenson) Nelson.  He joined the US Army where he served two years before being honorably discharged.  Immediately after his discharge, he began his lifelong career as a truck driver, driving in all 48 contiguous states.  He spent many years over the road until he met and married Silvia Leal on April 16, 2011, and began more regional routes getting him home on weekends.  Duane was an avid Packers and NASCAR fan and loved spending time with family, especially when it came to taking his grandchildren to the zoo. 

Duane is survived by his wife Silvia of Barron; sisters, Roxane (Jacques) Ogilvie, Penny (Jack) Holm, and Pam (Don) Hicks, and brother Darrel Nelson, all of Luck, Wisconsin; stepdaughter Lili (Chris) Perold of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; stepsons Alex De La Garza and Adrian De La Garza; and many nephews, nieces, and step grandchildren.

Duane is preceded in death by his parents, Emmett and Jerry Nelson, and his grandparents.

A celebration of Duane’s life will be held on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., at the Luck Senior Center in Luck, Wisconsin, with Larry Peterson officiating.  Arrangements were entrusted to the Spooner Funeral Home

Last Update: Mar 14, 2020 12:40 pm CDT