Gary Nelson

Nelson, Gary MIDDLETON - Gary Nelson, age 55, passed away on Monday, Sept. 24, 2007, from a heart attack. He was born in Norfolk, Va., on June 8, 1952, the second son of Len and Mary Margaret(Sinclair) Nelson. In his teens, Gary picked up the guitar and began a lifelong love of music. While living in South Bend, he joined a band that opened for several major acts in the Chicago area. He went on to study music in college as a minor and majored in radio and TV. After graduation from Indiana in 1974, he made a brief stop in Tell City as a D.J. and Chicago, before settling in the Madison area, as a sales representative for WISC-TV. It was in Madison where he met his wife, Deb, who worked for the competition. Gary and Deb were married on Aug. 14, 1982. That same year they bought a bar and grill on Mineral Point Road and named it Points West. Through the bar, Gary helped to establish the Middleton Mens Pool League and Horseshoe League. He was an avid player and performed the duties of secretary/treasurer for both leagues. He also loved his bowling, Harley rides and annual fishing trips north, where it is rumored that more bottle bass were caught than fish. In 1995, Gary and Deb sold Points West and built a house on Airport Road. In the next year they started another business called the CareTakers. Gary was an avid sports fan, especially football. He died doing what he loved, watching football...and now hell have a front row seat to all the games. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Deb (Kolb) Nelson and his two canine "girls," Rosa and Dana; a brother, Jeff (Doreen) Nelson and their son, Jeffrey, all of New Jersey; his father-in-law, Harry Kolb of Lake Geneva; and his brother and sister-in-law, Greg (Marilyn) Kolb and their children, Neal (Julie) of Madison and Lisa and Jena of Lake Geneva. He was preceded in death by his parents, Len and Mary Margaret Nelson; a nephew, Ross A. Kolb; and his mother-in-law, Shirley Kolb. Funeral services will be held at the GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL HOME, 7435 University Ave., Middleton, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007. Family and friends may call from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007, at the funeral home.