Nelson, Donald Arthur Don passed away peacefully on October 11, 2020 surrounded by his family. He had many roles during his life, most importantly that of a loving husband, father, grandfather, & great-grandfather. He loved to tell stories & jokes and his resounding laugh was infectious to all around him. Dedicated to a life of service, Don enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942 where he served as a Sergeant aboard the USS New Orleans in WWII. Upon his return, he joined the Edina and Minneapolis Police Departments, where he graduated from the FBI National Academy and retired as Deputy Inspector of Police. In addition to uniformed service, Don was a member of Lake Harriet Masonic Lodge 277, served as Potentate of Zuhrah Shriners in 1986, and was an active member at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church. While Don had many service accomplishments, he was most proud of personally saving 4 lives while at the police department and winning several pistol championships hosted by the Marine Corps, Army, police and FBI - earning the prestigious FBI National Academy Possible Club medal in recognition of having fired a perfect score. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Anna, wife Peggy, and son Stephen. He is survived by his sons Van, Greg, and Richard, along with their families.