Donald W. Bevers

MANITOWISH WATERS, WI - Donald William Bevers, 78, Manitowish Waters, WI, passed away peacefully with family by his side at Select Specialty Hospital in Madison, WI on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 3:51 p.m. following a brief illness.

Don’s memorial service will be at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pontiac, IL at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, with Pastor Christine McNeal officiating. Gunderson Funeral Home in Madison is handling the arrangements; cremation rites have been accorded. Friends may call prior to the service from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Don was born January 30, 1947, to William Horace Bevers and Alice Connor Bevers in Inglewood, CA. He attended Highland Elementary School, Crozier Junior High School, and graduated from Inglewood High School with the Class of 1964.

He honorably served in the U.S. Navy from 1965-1969 as a Petty Officer Third Class Machinist’s Mate. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) which included three deployments to Vietnam. He was a General Supervisor and Manufacturing Engineer at Caterpillar, Inc., beginning his career in 1969 in San Leandro, CA where he completed the four-year machinist training program.  In 1978, he was transferred to Pontiac, IL to help start the Caterpillar plant there, retiring in 2002.  He then sold real estate for Louis Lyons Realty in Pontiac, IL until his second retirement in 2011.  In 2019, he moved to the beautiful Northwoods in Manitowish Waters, WI.

He married Susan Morrison on October 16, 1965. He later married Mary Lou Abry (nee Knudson) on March 9, 1995.  

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; four children, David Bevers (Julie), Colfax, CA, Kari Garcia (Adan), Tucson, AZ, Jake Abry (Kristina), Coppell, TX, and Jared Abry (Mari), Perry, IA; 12 grandchildren, Mikayla, Zach, and Tyler Bevers; Diego (Dani), Sonia, Conor, and Gabriel Garcia; Evan, Ethan, and Lillian Abry; Catherine and Charles Abry; one great-granddaughter, Hanniah Garibay; and two sisters, Dianne King, Medford, OR and Darlene (Bob) Sheets, Medford, OR.  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  

He was preceded in death by his parents; a nephew, Bobby Sheets; and an infant step-daughter, Alane Abry.  

Don was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pontiac, IL serving as council president, pastoral call committee member, and chicken supper coordinator.  He was a school board member at Graymont, IL for nine years; board member of the Pontiac High School District 90 Foundation; an Elks inner guard officer; a member of the Coterie dance club, and in a euchre club. He was president of the Big Powderhorn Lodging Association in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In high school he was MVP in water polo, a member of AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), and was on the varsity swim and dive teams. He loved the water and enjoyed surfing as a teenager, water skiing, swimming, scuba diving, boating, and paddling. He won racquetball tournaments, was a current member of both the Katinka Picklers and MW Pickleball, and taught all his children and adult grandchildren to play pickleball. He was the leader of The Chain Gang, a bike group in Manitowish Waters, could downhill ski for free at Big Powderhorn Mountain after turning 75, loved to garden, gave blood regularly, always had a project, pitched in to help others, and liked socializing. He enjoyed travelling, often to spend time with his family, saw all 50 states, and experienced many national parks. He would get a double scoop of Culver’s Flavor of the Day wherever he went and knew where each location was heading north from Illinois to Northern Wisconsin.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, 210 N. Deerfield Rd., Pontiac, IL 61764 or The American Red Cross.  Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI

(608) 221-5420