Don Quam
Long time DeForest area homebuilder and flying enthusiast, Don Quam, pulled back gently on the stick and slipped up through the clouds for the last time on Thursday July 20, 2017, following a brief stay at the Waunakee Manor Care Center.
Just shy of his 87th birthday, Don was blessed with a happy life. He was surrounded by a loving family, friends, people and familiar places. In work and play he did the things he was skilled at and loved to do, and received much satisfaction from both.
Don was born on July 27, 1930 in the Township of Dane, to Arthur O. and Ida J. (Slinde) Quam, the third of five children. He attended a rural one room elementary school near Dane, Wisconsin and began high school at Lodi High School. His family moved to the DeForest area and he graduated in 1948 from DeForest High School.
On June 21, 1952, Don married Joanne Bookhout, the love of his life. They were blessed with a daughter (Suzanne) and a son (Mark). They were married for 65 years.
In 1952, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Korea. When he returned home from his military service, he served an apprenticeship and received his Journeyman’s Certificate for Carpenters and Joiners in 1958. He started his own business, Quam Builders, and built many houses in the DeForest area.
Don’s hobby and passion were flying and restoring airplanes. He owned and safely flew many airplanes through the years. He was particularly proud of the award he won in 1986 at the EAA Oshkosh Air Show (Best of Type) for the 1949 Aeronca Champ he rebuilt.
In more recent years, Don and Joanne enjoyed spending the winter months at their get away place in Harlingen, TX.
Don is survived by his loving wife, Joanne; a daughter, Suzanne (Stuart) Hamilton of Janesville; a son, Mark (Jeff Conger) of Eau Claire; two grandchildren, Sarah Hamilton of Christchurch, New Zealand and Riley Hamilton of Minneapolis, MN; a sister, Inez Seibel of Columbus, OH; a brother, Royal of DeForest; sisters-in-law, Beatrice Quam and Joann Quam of DeForest, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Philip and Carroll.
He was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Arlington, WI.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, W6906 County Road K, Arlington. Visitation will be held from 4 -7 p.m. on Monday, July 24th at Ryan Funeral Home, 6924 Lake Road, DeForest, and again from 10 – 11 a.m. on Tuesday at Church. Burial will be held at Norway Grove Cemetery, DeForest.
Joanne and family are particularly thankful for the wonderful care Don received these past several weeks from Agrace Hospice staff, the staff at Waunakee Manor and from Dr. Ringdahl and the staff at UW Health Systems. The care he received from all could not have been better. Thanks also go out to the many relatives, friends and neighbors who visited him and brightened his days.
In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to Agrace HospiceCare, at 5395 E Cheryl Pkwy, Madison, WI 53711, or Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.
To view and sign this guestbook, please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com
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