Donald Curtiss Rolain

Donald Curtiss Rolain, 97, died Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Legacy of the Northwoods in Eagle River.

He was born at home in Rhinelander, on Dec. 2, 1927. Don was the fifth of 11 children in the Walter and Elin (Nordquist) Rolain family. He attended Pine Grove School and Malvern School in the town of Pelican and graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1945.

Shortly after graduating, Don took the train from Rhinelander to Ashland, and then boarded a bus to Duluth, Minn., where he signed up to work on the Great Lakes’ ore boats. He would talk of spending his first night in Duluth sleeping in the Viking ship in the city park on Lake Superior. He worked on the freighter Thomas Lamont from June until December, 1945. He went home for Christmas and found his draft card waiting for him.

Don served as a military policeman in the Army Air Force. He was stationed at Wheeler Field on Oahu, Hawaii, where he was the driver for the provost marshal. He spoke fondly of the job, which was apparently considered a plum assignment. He was honorably discharged from the military in 1947 and returned to Rhinelander.

On July 15, 1955, Don married Dorothy (Red) Greene of Monico. They made their home in Rhinelander, where Don worked as a car salesman and a driver for a propane company until starting at Rhinelander Paper Mill in 1959. He retired from the mill in June 1990.

Don and Red raised three children in the house they bought in the 1950s just north of Rhinelander. They purchased a lot on Lake Alva in the Township of Lake Tomahawk in the 1970s. The family spent many summers camping there in a big canvas tent. Don and Red built a log home on the property and lived there from 1980 until 1996. They then moved to a new house they had built on Lambele Lane in the town of Newbold.

A big-hearted, fun-loving man, Don liked nothing better than time spent with family and friends. His kids remember their dad and his brothers in front of the TV, cheering and hollering for the Packers on many Sunday afternoons. Throughout his life, he rarely missed watching his favorite team.

Don loved golfing, was good at it, and played every chance he got until he was 87. He enjoyed his annual deer hunting adventures at the shack near Monico. The pranks, jokes and camaraderie he shared with the guys at the mill were a treasured part of his life.

He was a self-taught carpenter. One of his first projects was building a garage at the house in Rhinelander. He went on from there to turn the tiny house into a nice split level. In later years, he spent time in his basement woodworking shop, creating lovely benches and bird houses for family and friends.

Don was heartbroken to lose his “boss,” Red, in 2007, but he kept himself busy with house and yard projects, feeding the deer, golfing and getting together with friends. He would drop everything to help his kids. He proudly lived independently in his home until 2022, when dementia forced the move to Legacy.

In addition to his wife, Don was preceded in death by his brothers, Bob, Darrell, Ray and Pete, and his sister, Lois Lukarich.

He is survived by his children, Cindy Rolain Frets (Jaye) of Pine City, Minn.; Mark (Lori) Rolain, Rhinelander; and Patti (Dennis) Bauer of Rhinelander; his grandchildren, Dillon (Jessica) Frets, Xenia, Ohio; Aislinn Bauer, Menominee Falls; and Isaac Bauer, LaCrosse; two step-granddaughters, Amanda Kroeplin and Annette Kennedy, and their children of Oklahoma City, Okla. Also surviving are his brother, Dick (Marilyn); and sisters, Betty Callahan, Barbara Stevens, Karen Franke, and Nancy (Duke) Kuehn, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Don will be held at the Carlson Funeral Home on Saturday, July 19 at noon with a visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. You may leave your private condolences for the Rolain family at www.carlsonfh.com. The Carlson Funeral Home, 715-369-1414, is handling the services for the family.