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Obituary: Nelson Thomas Whyatt

July 17, 1938 ~ February 16, 2022

Nelson Thomas Whyatt, 83, of Sturgeon Bay, WI, died Wednesday morning, February 16, 2022 at Pine Crest Village in Sturgeon Bay.

He was born July 17, 1938 in St. Paul, MN, the son of Edward “Irv” Irving Whyatt and Ethelwyn “Billie” Mary Virginia Dumas. Nelson began camping and canoeing in the North Woods of Minnesota as a child and developed a lifelong love of nature early on. He graduated from The Blake School in Hopkins, MN as co-valedictorian of the class of 1956. Nelson went on to study biology at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Upon graduating in 1960, He continued his studies in biology as a grad student at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The following year there, while leading a class in dissecting frogs, Nelson met Christine Ann Anderson. Christine was a music major, studying organ and violin, and they were drawn together by a deep passion for music. Nelson and Christine began to date, and they were united in marriage on June 25, 1966 at Hamline Church (United Methodist) in St. Paul. In the meantime, Nelson changed his course of studies to American History, earning a Ph.D. in 1967.

He then taught American History at Minnesota State College (which eventually became Moorhead State University and is now Minnesota State University Moorhead) from 1967 until 1980, where he made many dear friends. Christine began working as a violin and fiddle teacher, and Nelson and Christine founded an Irish ceili band, with Nelson playing accordion and Christine playing the fiddle. In 1972, their son, Daniel, was born, and in 1973-74, the young family spent a memorable sabbatical year in Amsterdam, Holland, and in Cambridge, England. In 1980, on Nelson’s second sabbatical, he moved with his family to Massachusetts, settling north of Boston, in Beverly and in Marblehead.

At this time, Nelson was considering a transition away from academia, and after a period of working odd jobs, he enrolled in night school for computer classes. He worked extremely hard to break into this new field and started his new career working at the small startup, Legal Support Systems, in 1982, before moving over to Compugraphic a year later. In 1984, Nelson accepted a position with the publishing company Houghton Mifflin, which was developing one of the first automatic grammar checkers. He was excited to be part of this extremely challenging work, which was a unique collaboration between computer programmers and linguists. At this time, the family lived in Wenham, MA, and Nelson would take the train to work in his office in downtown Boston. He and his family traveled all over New England in these years, and had many wonderful visits with Nelson’s brother, Tom, and his family in Garrison, New York. Nelson and his family attended Northshore Unitarian Universalist Church in Danvers throughout their years in Massachusetts, and Nelson and Christine were active in all sorts of music, frequently playing for dances.

In 1988, the family moved back to St. Paul, MN, where Nelson continued his career in computer programming. His great love of folk and traditional music also took him in new directions. Nelson added a number of tricky Balkan tunes to his accordion repertoire, played in a traditional Javanese Gamelan orchestra, and learned to play the Nickleharpa, a keyed Swedish fiddle. He also returned to playing the bagpipes in the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band, which he had first joined in the early 1960’s. In addition, Nelson and Christine began playing a great deal of traditional Swedish music together. They even went to Sweden a number of times, where Nelson assisted Christine in leading groups of Christine’s young fiddle students to participate in traditional music festivals.

After Nelson retired, he and Christine decided to retire to a smaller community, and moved to Door County, WI in 2008. They initially lived in Sister Bay before buying a home in Sturgeon Bay. Nelson and Christine both continued to be active in the arts, and played music with different groups, including “Sugar on the Floor”, and at jam sessions and dances all around Door County.

After nearly 50 years of a wonderful and loving marriage, Christine died of cancer on July 5, 2015. Nelson was heartbroken when he lost his soulmate, and in the last years of his life struggled with depression. Despite the many challenges of this period, he still found solace in reading and in learning. Nelson had always had a great love of languages, and in his final years studied Spanish and French daily, as well as working his way through many books on history and biology. As his health began to decline, Nelson moved into Pine Crest Village (residential care apartment complex) in Sturgeon Bay.

His warm sense of humor, his wide knowledge, and his music will be missed by his son, Daniel (Diana Arroyo) Whyatt, and granddaughter, Jimena Toro, all of Barranquilla, Colombia; brother, Thomas (Robin) Whyatt of Charlo, MT; siblings-in-law, Robert (Sidney) Anderson of Boulder, CO and Phoenix, AZ, Joyce Schlafge of Edina, MN, and Rick Anderson of Brainerd, MN; as well as nieces and nephews; and other relatives.

Nelson was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and brother-in-law, William Schlafge.

No public services will be held. Nelson will be laid to rest in Door County, WI with a private committal.

Memorials may be given in his honor for the Door County Land Trust (P.O. Box 65, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 or www.doorcountylandtrust.org).

Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC in Sturgeon Bay are assisting the Whyatt family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Nelson may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.