Don La Violette

Don La Violette passed away with family members at his side on February 12th at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay WI.

Don graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1949 and from Saint Norbert College in 1954 and then served in the US Army. He earned a Master's Degree in Education from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton Florida. He taught and coached at Fond du lac Springs and Beloit Catholic High Schools before coming to Abbot Pennings High School in DePere in 1959. His time at Abbot Pennings was so rewarding to him. He taught, coached and worked as an administrator for 24 years. Don was awarded his dream job in 1983 and moved across the street from Abbot Pennings to become the head football coach at Saint Norbert College. He took pride in working for the college and the Green Knight's football program. Don also coached basketball at Saint Norbert for three seasons from 1986 to 1989. He was one of only two college coaches in the nation to serve as both football and basketball coach during the same season. Don retired from Saint Norbert and moved to Florida with his wife Anne. Six years after retiring, Don took over and reinvigorated the struggling football program at Saint Andrew's High School in Boca Raton, Florida for five seasons.

Don received numerous awards for teaching and coaching. In the area of academics, he received a Distinguished Achievement Award in Education from St. Norbert. He was honored as the WISAA Man of the Year Award in 1982. His wife Anne and he received the Founders Award for Catholic Education from Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay.

Coach La Violette was a five-time FVCC Coach of the Year in football, and a seven-time FVCC Coach of the Year award winner in basketball. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995 for football. He was also inducted into the State Basketball Hall of Fame for High School basketball. In 1997, he was inducted into the Saint Norbert College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Don took pride in teaching his students and players, but his greatest love was spending time with his family. His family was always number one to him.
Don was preceded in death by his father Homer, and mother Albertine; his brother Gene; his father and mother in-law Ed and Marvel Barnard, and his brother-in-law Leo Crowley,

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Anne, who fought through wins and losses with him and was herself a tremendous educator; his children Karen Carpenter (Neil); Bob La Violette, Nancy La Violette and Cathy La Violette; seven grandchildren: Taylor (Austin), Mallory, Jessica, Aaron, Joseph, Matthew and Shianne; two great-grandchildren: Orson and Maren; Sister-in-Laws Barbara Crowley (Colleen, Jane, Tom and Jim) and Pat La Violette (Mary Shawn, Barbara).
Don is also survived by all of the players and students whose lives he touched in so many ways.

A memorial gathering will be held 9am to 10:45am at Old St. Joseph Church on the St. Norbert Campus on Saturday February 21st. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11am at Old St. Joseph Church followed by a reception at the Bemis Center on the St. Norbert Campus.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund at St. Norbert College has been established for the football program in Coach La Violette's name.

The family wants to thank the doctors and nurses at Aurora BayCare Medical Center for their excellent care and positive spirit.