Donald Eugene Naeve

Donald Eugene Naeve, 79, of Sabula, Iowa, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, surrounded by his loving wife Sue, and his three daughters. A funeral service will be held at 12 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, at Law Jones Funeral Home, Savanna, Illinois. Visitation will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., prior to the service. Military honors and graveside service will follow at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery, in Sabula, Iowa.

Don was born December 6, 1946, in Clinton, IA was the son of Ella and Orin Naeve. He graduated from Miles High School in 1965. After serving in the United States Army where he was a helicopter mechanic & a general’s assistant, he began working at Carlon in Clinton, Iowa, where through hard work he rose to become plant manager. He also worked at Rock-Tenn and Molded Fiber. In retirement, Don was recruited to work at Jackson Manufacturing for several years, and then he worked at the car wash in Savanna as an attendant before finally really retiring. He also spent many years as a commercial fisherman with his teenage grandsons proudly working alongside him.

On September 26, 1970, Don married the love of his life, Susan Vicks, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Sabula, where together they built a beautiful life and raised their three daughters—Erica, Toni, and Nikki.

Don had a strong work ethic he developed early while growing up in a farming community, and he especially cherished his summers working on his uncle’s farm in Maquoketa. He enjoyed riding horses and going on trail rides and was an avid fisherman, trapper, and hunter throughout his life. He passed his love of the outdoors on to his children and grandchildren, who proudly called him the “fish whisperer.”

Above all, his family was his greatest pride and joy. He was the steady center of his family, a great adviser, with a quick wit that could make them laugh. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandpa. As a husband, Don was steady, loyal, and deeply devoted to Sue, sharing a lifetime of love, laughter, and quiet moments together. He was the best dad to his girls, teaching them life skills, sharing his love of the river and the outdoors, and always showing up when it mattered most.

Don especially loved being a grandfather—“Grap.” He adored his grandchildren. He would drop everything to help them, loved attending their school and sporting events, and was incredibly proud of each one of them. Some of his favorite times were family card games, hosting fish fries, river days, fishing or hunting with his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids, cruising the island with Sue and the dogs, playing kickball or basketball with the family, and spending all the holidays together.

Don will be forever missed by his wife of 55 years, Sue; his daughters, Erica (Phil) Shoemaker, Toni Naeve (Chad Nissen), and Nikki (Nate) Gold; his grandchildren, Austin (Macy) and Kylee Shoemaker; Alyssa Naeve; Carter Ervin; and Kyson, Ella, and Nolan Gold; and a great-granddaughter, Adalynn Naeve (Tooter). He was preceded in death by his parents, Ella and Orin Naeve; his brothers, Richard and Ronald Naeve; and his in-laws, Jim and Shirley Vicks.

Family and friends are invited to a luncheon at the Sabula VFW after the service. Memorials may be made to the family.