Steve "Mac" McClelland

MARSHALL – Steve McClelland, known to his many friends as Mac and Mac Daddy, died on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, following a courageous three-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 55. Steve was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in Madison. Steve graduated from Memorial High School in 1980 and worked at Colony Brands in Sun Prairie – a job he loved. Steve was loved by so many because he was funny, genuine and kind, the type of man who put more energy into making others happy and caring… for his mother than he did to restoring his beloved 1984 Buick Grand National. Steve was known for having his priorities straight, right down to telling anyone who would listen that his wife Dana and only sister Cheryl were the rocks in his life. Steve and Dana were married 22 years. He described the essence of their relationship – how wonderful his wife was – to anyone that would listen. Seems he wanted to get Dana a spa treatment for her recent birthday, but she insisted on a three-bag bagger system for their lawn tractor, so that’s what he got her. Mac was all in on Wisconsin Badgers sports, especially football and basketball, but his greatest joy as a fan was following the Chicago Cubs. When they won the World Series in 2016, ending a 108-year championship drought, he had a commemorative ring he received from a previous employer melted down and crafted into a Cubs keepsake. One of Steve’s last euphoric days was October 10 when he and Dana went to Wrigley Field and saw the Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 2-1 in the National League Division Series with his cousin Bobby McClelland who flew up from Florida for the game. Steve liked to golf and bowl, but he loved being around his friends and extended family whether that was 4-wheeling at the cabin in northern Wisconsin, at Cheryl’s home on Lake Wissota, snowmobiling with friends wherever the trails were open or on a beach in Florida. Steve loved food – eating more than cooking but he was known for two specialties – His world famous lasagna, a recipe he got out of a Betty Crocker Cookbook and his twice baked potatoes - so much that he purchased a Kitchen Aide Mixer only to be used for making his potatoes. He was an animal lover who couldn’t get enough of his dogs, Mr. Monster and Miss Dixie, and Tuber, the cat who thinks he’s a dog. Steve is survived by his wife Dana (Nix) McClelland of Sun Prairie; mother, Patricia McClelland of Madison; father, Ted (Barbara) McClelland of Chippewa Falls; in-laws Sherry (Roger) Zietlow of Madison; Wayne (Gail) Nix of Memphis, Tennessee; sister, Cheryl (Tom) Keegan of Chippewa Falls and their children Kyle, Kelsey (Cory Layman) and Kendall; half-brother, Zach (Heidi) McClelland and their children Owen and Quinn of Middleton; nephew, Steven Nix and his mother, Margeaux Pankow, of Spring, Texas; Uncle Nick (Anne) Theisen of Fort Mill, South Carolina; Aunt Lois Schroeder of Madison; and special cousins Mike (Lisa) Schroeder and their son Christopher of Madison, Mark (Lynn) Schroeder and their daughter Danielle of Oregon, and Holly (Andy) Baggot and their daughter Jordan of Middleton, and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Gary Nix of Madison and special grandmother, Ruth “Gramma T” Theisen of Sauk City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. ALBERT THE GREAT CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2420 St. Albert Dr., Sun Prairie, at 11 a.m., on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017, with Monsignor Donn Heiar presiding. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Dr., Madison, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, and also at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Thursday. After the service a celebration of Steve’s life will be held at the Eagle Crest Bar, 3710 County Road Hwy T, Madison, WI 53704. The family would like to thank Dr. Rajguru and staff at the UW Carbone Cancer Center at 1 S. Park Street and Dr. Bugliosi and the staff at Meriter Hospital for all their kindness, compassion and care. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.  "Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another"- Ernest Hemingway "Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, so loved, so missed, so very dear" Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608_ 221-5420