Del L. Salquist

Del L. Salquist, age 77, of Spooner, Wisconsin, passed away on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, at Essentia-St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.. 

Del Lewis Salquist was born July 3, 1942, in Spooner, the son of Earl and Alice (Johnson) Salquist.  He was raised in Spooner and graduated from high school in 1960.  Del joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed at a Naval Support Facility, located near Washington, D.C., as a Flight Crew member. He was honorably discharged and returned to Spooner where he began employment with the Wisconsin Conservation Department as a trapper in Game Management.  He eventually began employment for many years with Chicago Northwestern Railroad out of  Spooner starting on the Section Crew and then as a Conductor/Brakeman.  Del continued his working career with Louisiana-Pacific in Hayward, Wisconsin, in a variety of positions and, prior to retirement, was an Instructor/Trainer travelling to mills throughout the United States and Canada. 

On January 1, 1989, Del was joined in marriage to Connie Price-Borden at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spooner.  Family was  important to him so appreciated the get togethers and following the grandchildren’s activities, rarely missing an event.  Del was very proud of his Swedish heritage and traveled several times to Sweden, and he happily fulfilled his role as steward of his own century-old homesteaded  property.  He enjoyed playing cribbage and cards with family and  his long-lasting friends. Del was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Spooner and was a volunteer for the Spooner Railroad Memories Museum and Railroad Park Committee.  He was an easy-to-know man known for his witty sense of humor and compassion for others.   He felt fortunate to have been able to travel to many countries and to every state in the United States.

Del is survived by his wife of 30 years, Connie; his two children, AJ (Betsy) Salquist and Heather Salquist, both of Spooner; step-daughter, Shauna (Erik) Lindstrom of Spooner; five grandchildren, DJ (Krista), Emma, Britta, Hadlea and Trent; three great grandchildren, Orrin, Magnus and Avis; one sister, Gayle (Don) Okonek of Myrtle Creek, OR;  one brother-in-law, Jerry (Nancy) of Fort Atkinson, WI; and several nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Alice, and his mother and father-in-law, Naomi and Willard Price.

A memorial service celebrating Del’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 6, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spooner with Pastor Heather Kistner officiating.  A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, at the Spooner Funeral Home as well as  from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service on Friday at the church.  Military honors will be accorded by the State of Wisconsin Military Funeral Honors Program.  A private interment will be held in the Salquist Family Cemetery. 

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