1949
Thomas
2024
Thomas Vanderwyst
January 21, 1949 — July 3, 2024
Thomas Richard Vanderwyst Obituary:
Thomas Richard Vanderwyst, 75, our precious father, grandfather, and great grandfather, left this world on July 3, 2024, to join Jesus for eternity. He was surrounded by his family, in his home, and he was looking forward to joining his beloved wife Sharon in heaven.
Tom was born on January 21, 1949, to Maurice and Rita (Zeidler) Vanderwyst in Marshfield, Wisconsin, with a hole in his heart. In 1960, when Tom was 11 years old, he was one of the first patients to undergo open heart surgery at the University Hospitals in Madison. Throughout Tom’s life, he would often proudly share the Marshfield News-Herald newspaper clipping about his surgery and how he made the news. Within the article, the North Wood District of the American Red Cross issued a call for 120 A-positive blood donors to report to St. Joseph’s Hospital to ensure there were 12 pints of blood for the operation. The surgery was successful thanks to numerous donors.
Tom grew up with five brothers and one sister in a busy household on Ash Street. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Catholic Church in Marshfield and attended St. John’s Catholic School and Marshfield public schools. He was active in sports (baseball and football) and won the 1967 Presidential Award of Fitness. In 1967 he graduated from Marshfield Senior High School and later served in the Army Reserves.
On July 20, 1968, Tom married the love of his life, Sharon Lee Leick, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Marshfield. Together, with God’s guidance, they raised two sons, Thomas John and Brian Lee.
Tom’s work ethic was always strong, as he took great pride in providing for his family. His career in Marshfield included roles in production and truck driving at Weyerhaeuser Company, Wenzel’s Farm and Hub City Foods/Fleming Foods. Tom and Sharon enjoyed their family time at their first house on Vilas Street and then at the new house they built on Apple Street. They meticulously scoped out their garage sale plans to find the best deals in town every weekend. Many summer weekends were spent camping, visiting Wisconsin parks and zoos, enjoying annual cousin ski trips, tending to their beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and cooking delicious meals. Tom and Sharon were members of Immanual Lutheran Church and raised their sons in the church.
In 2003, Tom and Sharon moved to Eau Claire for new employment opportunities and the ability to be closer to their son Tom and his wife Roxann and their grandchildren Tommy and Emilie. Together, Tom and Sharon made their new house on Kenora Parkway into a beautiful home. Tom took a new role as a truck driver for Silver Spring Foods. They joined Epiphany Lutheran Church and were blessed with many new friendships through church and the neighborhood where they lived. He later became a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Eau Claire.
In 2006, Sharon passed away in their home due to cancer. His love for Sharon continued, and he missed her every day. In 2016 their son Brian moved to Eau Claire with his daughter Brooke, providing Tom more opportunities to enjoy his children and grandchildren.
Tom was an active Grandpa who loved to have fun with his grandchildren. He rooted for his Wisconsin sports teams and was always up for an adventure to see the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers and Eau Claire Express in person. He loved to travel around Wisconsin on day trips and camping trips as well as bigger adventures with his family to Colorado, Utah, Las Vegas, a Caribbean cruise, Alaska and the Grand Canyon. Grandpa often cut out cartoons that made him laugh and passed them on to family and friends to get a chuckle and was a teller of the craziest jokes, tongue twisters and limericks. His sense of humor and witty personality was with him even while on hospice as he had smart remarks for the nurses and aides.
Tom loved dogs. Growing up, he and his siblings had a dog named Cuddles. After marriage, he and Sharon raised a chocolate lab named Fudge who was the family dog and grew alongside Tom and Sharon’s little boys throughout their childhood. Later Tom welcomed his home to Buddy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and eventually his son Brian’s dog, Daisy.
Some of Tom’s favorite things include eating at Randy’s Restaurant, classic Country music (especially Conway Twitty), reading the newspaper with a good cup of coffee, trivia books, fairs and festivals, roller coasters, mincemeat pie, Bing cherries, blueberry picking, refinishing wood furniture, Coca Cola and collecting duck figurines.
Tom is survived by his sons, Tom (Roxann) Vanderwyst and Brian Vanderwyst of Eau Claire; grandchildren Tom and Emilie Vanderwyst, Breann DeVillers (Joe) and Brooke Vanderwyst; great grandchildren Emmet and Nora DeVillers. He is also survived by his siblings Kathy Shupe (Ron Appleman) of Marshfield, Jack (Cheryl) Vanderwyst of Marshfield, Steve (Marilyn) Vanderwyst of Marshfield, Mark (Christine) Vanderwyst of Marshfield and sisters-in-law Sandra (Jim) Vanderwyst of Holmen, Debra Ackman-Vanderwyst (Don) of Marshfield and Sandy (Dave) Hougum of Nekoosa in addition to numerous nieces, nephews and their families.
Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Sharon, his parents Maurice and Rita Vanderwyst, his brothers Jim Vanderwyst and Don Vanderwyst, brother-in-law, Ron Shupe and nieces, Kim Shupe, Kayla Vanderwyst and nephew Dennis Vanderwyst.
Special thanks and love to friends Richard “Pinky” Wilcott, Sharon (and Don) Bauer, and Kim and Marilyn Davis for friendships that lasted through the years. There are many other friends that have touched Tom’s life. Thank you all for the special times, love and support.
Thank you to St. Croix Hospice for their care and gentle support of Tom, especially to nurse Cassie, nursing aide Heather, social worker Cassie, and Pastor Karl Schearer, Chaplain.
A private ceremony with the immediate family will be held at Rest Haven Cemetery in Eau Claire. Please join us for a Celebration of Tom Vanderwyst’s Life on Sunday, October 6 (1-3 pm) at Tower Ridge Chalet, 1159 S. 82 nd Avenue, Eau Claire.
Family and friends may send condolences online at the Cremation Society of Wisconsin in Altoona https://www.cremationsociety-wi.com
Thomas Richard Vanderwyst, 75, our precious father, grandfather, and great grandfather, left this world on July 3, 2024, to join Jesus for eternity. He was surrounded by his family, in his home, and he was looking forward to joining his beloved wife Sharon in heaven.
Tom was born on January 21, 1949, to Maurice and Rita (Zeidler) Vanderwyst in Marshfield, Wisconsin, with a hole in his heart. In 1960, when Tom was 11 years old, he was one of the first patients to undergo open heart surgery at the University Hospitals in Madison. Throughout Tom’s life, he would often proudly share the Marshfield News-Herald newspaper clipping about his surgery and how he made the news. Within the article, the North Wood District of the American Red Cross issued a call for 120 A-positive blood donors to report to St. Joseph’s Hospital to ensure there were 12 pints of blood for the operation. The surgery was successful thanks to numerous donors.
Tom grew up with five brothers and one sister in a busy household on Ash Street. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Catholic Church in Marshfield and attended St. John’s Catholic School and Marshfield public schools. He was active in sports (baseball and football) and won the 1967 Presidential Award of Fitness. In 1967 he graduated from Marshfield Senior High School and later served in the Army Reserves.
On July 20, 1968, Tom married the love of his life, Sharon Lee Leick, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Marshfield. Together, with God’s guidance, they raised two sons, Thomas John and Brian Lee.
Tom’s work ethic was always strong, as he took great pride in providing for his family. His career in Marshfield included roles in production and truck driving at Weyerhaeuser Company, Wenzel’s Farm and Hub City Foods/Fleming Foods. Tom and Sharon enjoyed their family time at their first house on Vilas Street and then at the new house they built on Apple Street. They meticulously scoped out their garage sale plans to find the best deals in town every weekend. Many summer weekends were spent camping, visiting Wisconsin parks and zoos, enjoying annual cousin ski trips, tending to their beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and cooking delicious meals. Tom and Sharon were members of Immanual Lutheran Church and raised their sons in the church.
In 2003, Tom and Sharon moved to Eau Claire for new employment opportunities and the ability to be closer to their son Tom and his wife Roxann and their grandchildren Tommy and Emilie. Together, Tom and Sharon made their new house on Kenora Parkway into a beautiful home. Tom took a new role as a truck driver for Silver Spring Foods. They joined Epiphany Lutheran Church and were blessed with many new friendships through church and the neighborhood where they lived. He later became a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Eau Claire.
In 2006, Sharon passed away in their home due to cancer. His love for Sharon continued, and he missed her every day. In 2016 their son Brian moved to Eau Claire with his daughter Brooke, providing Tom more opportunities to enjoy his children and grandchildren.
Tom was an active Grandpa who loved to have fun with his grandchildren. He rooted for his Wisconsin sports teams and was always up for an adventure to see the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers and Eau Claire Express in person. He loved to travel around Wisconsin on day trips and camping trips as well as bigger adventures with his family to Colorado, Utah, Las Vegas, a Caribbean cruise, Alaska and the Grand Canyon. Grandpa often cut out cartoons that made him laugh and passed them on to family and friends to get a chuckle and was a teller of the craziest jokes, tongue twisters and limericks. His sense of humor and witty personality was with him even while on hospice as he had smart remarks for the nurses and aides.
Tom loved dogs. Growing up, he and his siblings had a dog named Cuddles. After marriage, he and Sharon raised a chocolate lab named Fudge who was the family dog and grew alongside Tom and Sharon’s little boys throughout their childhood. Later Tom welcomed his home to Buddy, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and eventually his son Brian’s dog, Daisy.
Some of Tom’s favorite things include eating at Randy’s Restaurant, classic Country music (especially Conway Twitty), reading the newspaper with a good cup of coffee, trivia books, fairs and festivals, roller coasters, mincemeat pie, Bing cherries, blueberry picking, refinishing wood furniture, Coca Cola and collecting duck figurines.
Tom is survived by his sons, Tom (Roxann) Vanderwyst and Brian Vanderwyst of Eau Claire; grandchildren Tom and Emilie Vanderwyst, Breann DeVillers (Joe) and Brooke Vanderwyst; great grandchildren Emmet and Nora DeVillers. He is also survived by his siblings Kathy Shupe (Ron Appleman) of Marshfield, Jack (Cheryl) Vanderwyst of Marshfield, Steve (Marilyn) Vanderwyst of Marshfield, Mark (Christine) Vanderwyst of Marshfield and sisters-in-law Sandra (Jim) Vanderwyst of Holmen, Debra Ackman-Vanderwyst (Don) of Marshfield and Sandy (Dave) Hougum of Nekoosa in addition to numerous nieces, nephews and their families.
Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Sharon, his parents Maurice and Rita Vanderwyst, his brothers Jim Vanderwyst and Don Vanderwyst, brother-in-law, Ron Shupe and nieces, Kim Shupe, Kayla Vanderwyst and nephew Dennis Vanderwyst.
Special thanks and love to friends Richard “Pinky” Wilcott, Sharon (and Don) Bauer, and Kim and Marilyn Davis for friendships that lasted through the years. There are many other friends that have touched Tom’s life. Thank you all for the special times, love and support.
Thank you to St. Croix Hospice for their care and gentle support of Tom, especially to nurse Cassie, nursing aide Heather, social worker Cassie, and Pastor Karl Schearer, Chaplain.
A private ceremony with the immediate family will be held at Rest Haven Cemetery in Eau Claire. Please join us for a Celebration of Tom Vanderwyst’s Life on Sunday, October 6 (1-3 pm) at Tower Ridge Chalet, 1159 S. 82 nd Avenue, Eau Claire.
Family and friends may send condolences online at the Cremation Society of Wisconsin in Altoona https://www.cremationsociety-wi.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Thomas Vanderwyst, please visit our flower store.
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