Donald Oncken

STOUGHTON-Donald N. Oncken, age 83, of Stoughton, passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., on Tuesday, July 5, 2016. He was born on Jan. 23, 1933, in Madison, the son of John H. and Melva L. Oncken. Don attended and graduated from Stoughton High School and Carroll College. He continued his education at UW-Madison, earning a master's degree in psychology. Don proudly served in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1951-1954, where he became an active duty seaman from 1954 – 1956, spending four months in the North Pole. He married Karen Tuhus on June 4, 1955 in Loganville. Don, Karen and their girls lived in Kabul, Afghanistan from 1966 – 1968. Throughout his life, he was employed by Texaco, Uniroyal, Morgan Stanley and Raymond James. Don was the first athletic director and men's basketball coach at MATC. He was influential in hiring his successor, Doug Redston, and continued on as his assistant coach. Don was a member of the Carroll College Athletic Hall of Fame and a member of the UW-Extension staff for 30 years. He was also a member of several organizations, including Jaycees, FFA, National Honor Society and Who's Who in Colleges and Universities. The love of Don's life was his wife Karen. In June, they celebrated their 61st anniversary. They enjoyed life together. They loved to garden together – Don doing the outside work and Karen doing all of the canning and freezing. The big projects they enjoyed together with their girls were; making apple juice, grape juice, freezing corn, applesauce and raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. They enjoyed mentoring others in marriage classes, mostly by their marriage example. Don's other interests were sports, especially supporting the Wisconsin Badgers and broadcasting the Stoughton H.S. girls' basketball games. Don's fondness for travel included traversing the Panama Canal with wife Karen, many trips to Colorado, and short trips to points of interest in the Midwest including Shipshewana and Branson. Early years included many hours on the farm, practicing his hook shot, running sprints, throwing shotput and discus in track, cultivating his interest in gardening, showing cattle and beginning his stellar academic career bringing home straight A's on his first report card. College years included boxing and gaining All-American status in basketball. Don opened The Stoton Cycle, the first bicycle shop in Stoughton featuring Raleigh bicycles and later Simplicity lawn tractors. His daughters recall trike assembly and wire brushing spokes and rims.Don loved to organize family gatherings from the Jellystone trips to the Disney trips, to the Disney cruise, the Fireside, to birthday parties, the yearly Bingo parties, and doing puzzles. He loved to teach the book game and Chinese writing. Riddles were given to help his family think outside the box. Culvers on Sundays were a place to catch up on all the family news. Jellystone at Warrens gave great joy to Don to have the entire family join him around the campfire. In addition, Don joined the Disney Vacation Club which gave the entire family immense opportunities, one of which was celebrating Don and Karen's 50th anniversary on a Disney cruise. Grandchildren remember driving and taking a friend to camp in Colorado, rides in the garden cart, tickle games before naps, the big "bumpy" truck, taking them on last minute Christmas shopping to pick out gifts. Everybody always had to be "Rough and tough". A big part of Don's life was his relationship with Jesus. With the Gideons, he had a prison ministry where he gave out Bibles. The Navigator ministry was instrumental in his personal and spiritual growth. Numerous trips to Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs was a highlight of his life. All of his children and grandchildren got to experience Glen Eyrie. He led numerous Bible studies, especially on marriage. One of his favorite things in the past 20 years was a marriage retreat held in January every year in Appleton, WI. In the beginning he was part of a team that set up this retreat for the Wisconsin Reformed Church. Over the years, Don mentored many people with his work ethic and his Christian faith, and became an influence in their lives. The legacy Don left to many people was, leadership, his very generous spirit, his work ethic and his integrity. He always saw the best in everyone. Don is survived by his wife, Karen; daughters, Rebecca (Gary) Behling of Stoughton, Kim (Norm) Monsen of Stoughton, Brenda (Dave )Beck of Alexandria, Va. and Michelle (Robin) Brietzman of Evansville; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; brother, John Oncken; sister, Audrey Ebert; and sister-in-law, Sandra (Ralph) Carlson. He was preceded in death by his parents. A funeral service will be held at HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH, 752 E. Netherwood St., Oregon, at 5 p.m., on Saturday, July 9, 2016, with Pastor Eric Vander Ploeg and Pastor Roger Olsen presiding. Burial will take place at Graves Cemetery in the Town of Rutland, with military honors being conducted. Visitation will be held at the church from 2 p.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Veteran's Memorial Park in Stoughton, The Navigators or Hillcrest Bible Church. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Stoughton Funeral & Cremation Care 1358 Hwy. 51 at Jackson St. (608)873-4590