Don Losby Obituary Donald Alden Losby of Eau Claire, WI passed away on January 25, 2025 at the age of 95. Born in Eau Claire on July 17, 1929, to parents Alden and Myrtle (Hanshus) Losby, Don grew up in the 2nd ward neighborhood with his three siblings. He attended YMCA Camp Manitou as a youth, starting a "Camper of the Week" tradition followed by the next three (soon to be four) generations. He attended Memorial High School where he played on the varsity basketball and football teams and participated in debate and band. As a teenager Don adventured out to Northern Idaho (by hitchhiking and riding freight trains) to work with the Forest Service on "Blister Rust Control," restoring survey benchmarks, fighting summer forest fires as a "smoke eater," and marking tracts of forest for debris and undergrowth removal. Don married Janet Mickelson in 1950 while attending UW-Madison as an ROTC student where he earned a BA in Commerce and Business Administration. He joined the Air Force and served as a finance officer, leaving the service in 1953 as a 1st Lieutenant. He earned a law degree from UW-Madison in 1955 attaining high distinction as a member of the Order of the Coif. Don and Janet had five children in ten years. They enjoyed summers at the cottage on Lower Long Lake and family trips to Expo '67 in Montreal, Holden Village in WA, and ski trips to Boyne Mountain in MI. He loved getting away to the "Farmer's Friend Hunting and Fishing Camp" (the shack) to fish for muskie and listen to the East fork of the Chippewa River cascade over rocks outside the porch windows. He practiced law for 57 years specializing in probate, real estate and corporate law. He was active in civic and professional activities including the Eau Claire WI Alumni Association, Camp Manitou, Kiwanis, Chippewa Valley Boy Scout Council, American Bar Association, and Rod and Gun Club. Don was an active member of AA and sponsored many people over four decades. Don was a life-long Lutheran - as a member and Sunday School teacher at Grace Lutheran Church, a director of the Grace Foundation and Grace Lutheran Brotherhood. He was proud to be part of designing and establishing the Syverson Home - the beginning of the Grace Foundation building quality homes for senior living. He had a passion for studying the brain and engaging with the UWEC Aphasia Group. He and daughter Julia had a Skype discussion/book club going for years that migrated to regular phone conversations. Don was fiercely independent, had a great sense of humor, enjoyed international travel, appreciated art, and loved watching his great grandchildren play - especially at the lake cabin two lots away from the original cottage. He is survived by his children, Julia A Losby (Doug Peterson) of Tennessee, Susan Barnes (Kent) of Oregon, Edward Losby of Washington, Bill Losby (Anne) of Wisconsin, Jane Robertson (Ken) of Arizona, as well as 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and special friend Therese Rippley. Don was preceded in death by his parents, brother George (Sharon and Chris) Losby, sisters Marion Johnson (Rupert) and Josephine Hanson (Kenneth), and former wife Janet Losby Hoover. Thank you to the staff at Prairie Pointe Assisted Living and St. Croix Hospice for all their care and support. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Grace Lutheran Foundation, PO Box 287, Eau Claire, WI 54720. Visitation will be Saturday February 15, 2025, 4:00pm - 6:00pm at Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 814 1st Ave, Eau Claire, WI. A service will be held at 6:00pm at the funeral home.