Thomas “Tom” John Sullivan of Ontario entered eternal rest at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Sparta Campus, after a courageous 10-year battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011, at the age of 80.
Tom was born Oct. 14, 1930, to James and Marie (Langsdorf) Sullivan on the family farm in Cook Creek, Sheldon Township, Monroe County. He was proud of his Irish and German heritage and felt blessed that he was born into a large and loving family. Tom spent his early boyhood attending Cook Creek Grade School. When his father died, Tom, at the age of 15, was left with the responsibility of running the farm, with the help of his mother and two younger siblings. He had fond memories of dances at the Hollywood Dance Hall near Norwalk, where his father, James, was the dance inspector. And then there were get-togethers at neighbors’ homes, including threshing and wood-cutting bees, when farmers went back and forth to help each other.
In July 1955, he met the love of his life at one of the many dances in Ontario. They were engaged at Christmas of that year. Tom married Patricia Dawne Pettygrove on July 21, 1956, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, rural Cashton. They bought the Sullivan family farm in Cook Creek and later were blessed with four children: David James, Jeffrey Donald, Douglas John and Lisa Marie. For the next 25 years, they enjoyed raising their family in the country. They kept busy milking cows and raising tobacco, hogs and beef. To supplement the family income, Tom became a logger, milk hauler and bus driver. He was a wonderful role model for his children though all his hard work, instilling in them a good work ethic. Tom has left a legacy of honesty and fairness in dealing with others.
In 1980, Tom sold the farm and moved to the little town of Ontario, where he purchased the old Resch’s Pink Tavern, renaming it Sullivan’s Log Cabin. During the next 12 years, Tom and Pat worked hard, sponsoring ballgames, dances, and pool, dart and horse-shoe leagues. Their new endeavor gave them the opportunity to meet many new friends to add to their list of old. The cowboys and cowgirls from Darlington were part of that list.
Over the years, Tom served on the Sheldon Town Board and the Wilton Co-op Board and was a faithful member of the St. John’s Catholic Church in Wilton.
As busy as he was, he always found time for his children, whom he cherished and loved dearly. When his only daughter, Lisa, battled leukemia for five years, he was there to hold her hand and encourage her to move on and fight. He enjoyed watching them grow into adulthood and was pleased with all of their accomplishments. He treasured time spent with his family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at their home in Ontario. He was lovingly seen as the “gentle giant” in his daughter’s and granddaughters’ eyes.
He enjoyed horse and tractor pulls, watching NASCAR on TV, hoping Jeff Gordon, No. 24, would cross that finish line first! Tom was a true Green Bay Packer fan. Country music was his favorite, and he could sing right along with Jim Reeves to any song. He was surprised and honored to be Ontario’s Fourth of July parade marshal in 2004.
His school bus driving for more than 20 years was his most rewarding job. He enjoyed the children he transported, and they became his second family. He would have had a bestseller on a book list had he written what so innocently came out of the mouths of babes. He was their friend and confidant.
He kept a journal for each year, faithfully adding to each day the happenings, weather, deaths, and his thoughts from the heart. These journals will be forever treasured by his family.
Tom leaves to mourn his wife, Pat, of 54 years; four children, David (Michele) of Madison, Jeffrey (Marsha) Sullivan of Kendall, Douglas (Elizabeth) Sullivan of Sparta and Lisa (Gary) Brueggen of Ontario; his grandchildren, Thomas (T.J.), Lisa (Jeffrey) Bolton, Kendra, Stacy, Sarah, Brooklynn, Alexis and Jordan; his great-grandchildren, Angelia (Scott) Walvatne, Nathaniel, Logan and Noah; his sisters, Gertrude Sullivan from the convent in Huntington, Ind., Caroline Bertoline of Norway, Mich., Margaret Laufenberg of Cashton, Jane Giese of Ontario and Marie (Harold) Brueggen of Sparta; three sisters-in-law, Mildred Sullivan Witt and Kay Sullivan, both of Tomah, and Karen Pettygrove of Capron, Ill.; one brother-in-law, Harold Brueggen of Sparta; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, James and Marie; his in-laws, Clifford and Adeline Pettygrove; his brothers, Daniel, Jeremias and Roger; his sisters, Helen Schmitz, Louise Ducke Pearse, Lucille Schermerhorn, Myrtle Thomas and Dorothy Pipp; three infant siblings, Kathryne, William and James; two sisters-in-law, Gena Sullivan and Eva Turben Sullivan; nine brothers-in-law, George Schmitz, Kenneth Ducke, Richard Pearse, Chester Schermerhorn, Harold Thomas, Clifford Pipp, Robert Bertoline, Everett Giese and James Pettygrove; four nieces, Theresa Winkler, Susan Farina, Charlene Evans and Kathy Laufenberg; and six nephews, Michael and William Giese, Craig Sullivan, Jeremias and James Sullivan and David Pipp.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, at St. John’s Catholic Church, Wilton. Father Richard Dickman will officiate. Burial will be in the Hilltop Rest Cemetery, rural Ontario. Family and friends are invited for visitation from 4–7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wilton. Visitation will also be held on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of service. The Torkelson Funeral Home of Ontario is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.
The family would like to thank Tom’s cherished friends and family for their phone calls and visits. And to Rolling Hills Special Care Home in Sparta, Wis., for taking such good care of him. We were so fortunate and blessed to have Tom as our father; he will live on in many hearts forever! What a reunion he must be having! Goodbye for now, Tommy John!
