Donald Stanley Pavel was born in 1947 in St. Paul, MN to Edna and Stanley Pavel. He has been a musical partner of Warren Nelson's since the mid 70s and was a founding member of Lost Nation String Band and Big Top's Blue Canvas Orchestra. He was a Veteran of the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1972.

He is survived by his loving partner Therene Gazdik, two sons: Mason and Ira Pavel and Mason's wife Rachel, and one sister: Barbara Pavel Jurek. Warren Nelson says of his dear friend "we always said the show would go on and so it will. The picnic of our music is all laid over the fabric of Don's playing."

Funeral services are pending in Washburn, WI. Updates will be available at - www.bigtop.org.

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