Nathan Joe Saetveit

Nathan Joe Saetveit, 43, died on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, of severe health complications resulting from a phase 3 clinical trial.

Nathan was born on October 3, 1979, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minnesota, the youngest son of Margaret and Gerald (Jerry) Saetveit of New London, Minnesota. At the age of three, Nathan claimed the role of Page IV in his family’s musical group Allen-a-Dale and the Singing Pages. His father and brothers performed together for years–an experience that delighted audiences at both the Minnesota and Colorado Renaissance festivals and also ignited Nathan’s lifelong passion for vocal music and performance. Nathan developed a love of the outdoors by exploring the woods and water near his childhood home in New London, Minnesota. This love led to his avid participation in Boy Scouts, where he attained Eagle Scout rank and earned the silver Eagle Palm.

Nathan was baptized and confirmed at Faith Lutheran Church in Spicer, Minnesota. He cherished his time as a youth counselor at Shores of Saint Andrew Bible camp. In 1998, Nathan graduated as co-valedictorian from New London-Spicer High School.

While in high school, Nathan attended an enchanting performance of The Concordia Choir under the direction of René Clausen. Recalling this experience, Nathan chose to attend Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and was proud to perform and tour with the choir he so admired. He graduated from Concordia in 2002 with a double major in chemistry and Spanish and a double minor in math and music. As an undergraduate, Nathan also spent a summer abroad in Peru, where he immersed himself in the study of Spanish language and developed a sustaining interest in South American culture.  

While completing his graduate degree in Ames, Iowa, Nathan met Deb Sondall, the alto seated in front of him during weekly rehearsals of the Ames Chamber Artists. After a brief courtship, Nathan and Deb were married on May 5, 2006, in Dallas Center, Iowa.

Nathan earned his PhD in analytical chemistry from Iowa State University in 2008. Upon graduation, Nathan began his career at Elemental Scientific, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska. During his fourteen years as a senior scientist at ESI, Nathan designed and performed installations of advanced ICP-MS and ICP-AES sample introduction systems in a wide variety of public, private, and government labs throughout the world. He worked and traveled across six continents.  Nathan was also an inventor who held 17 patents for his uniquely designed valve assemblies and systems for sample introduction. Nathan’s fluency in Spanish led him to form connections throughout South America, and in 2021, he guided the creation of ESI Latam, a division of Elemental Scientific, Inc., in Santiago, Chile.

Nathan’s love of choral music continued throughout his life; he enjoyed performing with the Omaha Chamber Singers, Resonance, and Capitol Avenue Baroque in Omaha whenever his work and family schedules allowed.  

On March 8, 2014, Nathan and Deb’s twin sons Benjamin and Charles were born. Nathan loved his job as Daddy best of all and enjoyed sharing his varied interests–outdoor activities, math and science, skiing, travel, music, Star Trek, home renovation and repair, swimming, chess and board games, and Star Wars–with his beloved boys.

Nathan was preceded in death by his grandparents LeRoy and Generose Bush of Magnolia, MN, and Joseph and Helga Saetveit of Spicer, MN; and his mother-in-law Judy Sondall of Boone, Iowa. He is survived by his wife Deb and their twin sons Ben and Charlie of Omaha; his parents Jerry and Margaret Saetveit of New London, MN; three brothers: Ryan (Stacey) of Maple Grove, MN; Jason of Nashville, TN; and Chris (Jenny) of Murfreesboro, TN; his father-in-law Don Sondall of Boone, Iowa; his brother-in-law Mike (Natasha) of Boone, Iowa; his beloved nephews and nieces; and a loving extended family. His memory will be cherished by family, friends, and colleagues from around the world.

Visitation 5:00 - 8:00 pm Friday (10/28/2022) at Roeder Mortuary, 2727 N. 108th St. Funeral Service 10:00 am Saturday (10/29/2022) at Augustana Lutheran Church, 3647 Lafayette Ave.