Donald Vancos passed away on Nov. 27, 2022, with his wife Kathy by his side. He was born July 2, 1947, in Rhinelander. Don worked at the Tasty Bakery through high school and graduated in 1966. He then worked at Rhinelander Ford Dealer as a mechanic. Don attended machine shop classes at Nicolet College, adding to his mechanical/Ford Motor Company training, and then began at Triumph Twist Drill. He moved to Minneapolis to work at Kustom Circuits where he met his wife, Kathy. Later, Don moved on to Electro Scientific as a machinist and Zimmer Spine working in quality systems and product development until he retired. Don and Kathy moved to their Cohasset Lake home which was designed by Kathy.
Don enjoyed travel, fishing, hunting, and boating with his wife and going to Canada with friends. He was a certified Skywarn Weather Spotter for the NWS in Duluth and a Certified Weather Watcher for WCCO TV in Minneapolis for the last 7 years.
Don is survived by his wife of 45 years, Kathy; his sons, Donald Jr and Dion; daughter, Bobby Buschel; Kathy's sons, Duane and Jim Braunworth; sister, Nancy Pugh (Dan Piasecki); and several grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mary Vancos; and brother, Eugene.
Reader Comments
Posted: Sunday, December 18, 2022
Article comment by:
don combs
I just reconnected with Don this Fall after not having contact since high school. We attended grade school, junior high and high school together both growing up on the westside.
I'm so sorry to hear of his passing and my prayers are with his wife and family.
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