Tom Nelson Haugen, age 88, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away August 26, 2026, at WinnMed in Decorah, Iowa, following complications from a second stroke.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026, at First Lutheran Church, 604 W. Broadway St., Decorah, Iowa with Pastor David Severtson presiding. Burial will be held at a later date. Luncheon will immediately follow the service.

The service will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/live/P-NiQSydm-w

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Monday.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials can go to First Lutheran Church and the Marfan Foundation Donate - Marfan Foundation.

Tom was born on January 16, 1938, to Thomas and Evelyn Haugen in Decorah, IA. After graduating from Decorah High School, he attended Luther College in Decorah, IA where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in music education. While there, a cute flute player in the Luther College Band (Lola Pederson) caught his eye and the rest, as they would say, was history. Tom and Lola were united in marriage on August 4, 1962. To this union, they were blessed with two children, Todd and Kari.

All Tom ever wanted was to be a band director and be involved in making music. His first teaching job was in Alden, MN, and was followed by band positions in Clarkfield, MN, Luverne, MN, and Kellogg High School in Roseville, MN. From there he returned to Iowa to teach at Cresco, Emmetsburg and Charles City. While at Cresco, he completed his graduate work at Bemidji State in Bemidji, MN. Tom finished out his teaching career at Alexandria High School in Alexandria, MN.

His concert and jazz bands received Division 1 ratings in all-state, regional and national contests from 1963-1998. His bands also made six appearances at the IBA and MMEA conventions in Iowa and Minnesota.

Trips with his marching bands included the Festival of States in St. Petersburg, FL (Heart of St. Petersburg winner); Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC (first place); and the Fiesta Bowl Parade in Phoenix, AZ (Grand Champion). His Alexandria, MN marching band was selected to march in the 1998 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.

In 1987 the Charles City music program was one of two nationally to be awarded the MENC “Exemplary Program Award,” and in 1997 MMEA awarded the Alexandria music program its “Exemplary Program Award.”

After teaching for 38 years, Tom spent the next 16 supervising more than 250 music student teachers for Luther College. He loved mentoring these young, enthusiastic students.

For 33 years Tom and Lola operated Tri-State Band Judges, servicing roughly 50 summer parades, ten fall field show competitions, and 20-30 clinics each year across the Midwest. He also judged for the Iowa High School Music Association for 44 years, which included large group contests (bands, choirs and orchestras), state marching band contests, All-State auditions, solo/ensemble contests, and jazz competitions. Over the years, Tom’s judging took him to 24 states and Canada.

Tom was honored to receive Luther College’s Carlo A. Sperati award in 1983. In 2011, he was inducted into the Minnesota Music Educators Hall of Fame and in 2014, he received the YIMMY Award from Youth in Music Championship. He also was recipient of the NFHS Outstanding Music Educator Award for the state of Iowa in 2014, and was the Section IV winner (representing Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan) of the NFHS award in 2015. Tom received the Karl King Distinguished Service Award (Retired) in 2017. He was a member of IBA, MMEA, NFHS, Phi Beta Mu, MENC and IBARD.

One of Tom and Lola’s greatest adventures was a 90-day band trip with the Luther Concert Band (under the direction of Weston Noble) that included concerts in Norway, sightseeing in Europe, and playing for the National Luther League Convention in Miami, FL where a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a keynote speaker. They returned to Norway in 2006 with Tom’s Luther College Combo, performing at many of the same venues as the Luther Concert Band did 45 years earlier.

When he wasn’t working, Tom could usually be found on the golf course. A self-taught golfer, he was a member of the Luther College golf team, shot not one, but three hole-in-ones, and was golfing his age (82) when a stroke left him paralyzed on his right side. His favorite place to play was Decorah’s Oneota Golf & Country Club.

One of Tom’s greatest joys was being grandpa to Adam and Haley. He loved giving them “free” trombone and clarinet lessons and attended nearly all their activities from elementary thru college. He was a very proud grandpa.

Tom was a lifelong Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Tigers and Iowa Hawkeye fan.

Left to cherish Tom’s memory are his wife of 64 years, Lola Haugen; children Todd Haugen and Kari (Marty) Dostalik; grandchildren Adam Dostalik and Haley Dostalik; sisters Donna Bahr and Judy Nelson; brothers Jerry Haugen and Dave Haugen; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Evelyn Haugen.

The family would like to thank the staff at Loving Touch and WinnMed Home Health for their compassionate care and friendship over the last 5.8 years.