A May 2 Celebration of Life is scheduled to remember longtime Appleton Post-Crescent and Gannett writer and editor David J. Horst Jr. of Dale, WI, who died on Feb. 7, 2026 at age 69.
Born in Milwaukee to the late David Sr. and Catherine (Kvasnica) Horst, David was a writer and editor with The Post-Crescent in Appleton from 1982-2003 and later a freelance nature columnist for Gannett Wisconsin. Prior to that, he was a reporter with the Lawrence Journal-World in Kansas and The Herald-Leader in Menominee, Michigan.
After leaving journalism, he worked for the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, first as Communications Specialist and finally as Environmental Grants Manager.
An avid outdoorsman, Dave dedicated his life to conserving Wisconsin’s natural resources, working to protect land and water from overdevelopment and ensuring that people had access to wild places. He regularly collaborated with Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s Green Fire, and the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust to steward rural and forested areas in the region.
And he promoted the regional hiking trail system with Fox Cities Greenways and the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway project. He also worked on the proposal to create the High Cliff Connection, which would extend pedestrian and bicycle access to High Cliff State Park. Perhaps more than anything, Dave loved kayaking Wisconsin’s rivers and lakes with the Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers.
A self-professed Crane-iac, Dave loved observing and photographing birds both large and small during their annual migrations near the home he shared with his wife and best friend of 45 years, Jean. Together, they built a haven for animals and nature lovers at their farm, surrounded by beloved dogs, cats, alpacas, and llamas.
Dave is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Jean (nee Kowalewski). Other surviving family include his sister Jane (Scott) Meilick, mother-in-law Estella Kowalewski, brother-in-law Kim (Elizabeth) Kowalewski, nephews Paul (Jenni), Scott (Kayla), and James (Samantha) Meilick, niece Renee (Paul) Scharine, and nephews Albin (Faith) and Matthew (Suzanne) Kowalewski.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Aldo Leopold Foundation, or the International Crane Foundation.
The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton from 12:30-3 p.m. Memories will be shared at 1:30 p.m.
