Thomas E. Zagrodnik, age 77, of Madison (formerly of Sheboygan), passed away on Friday, October 18, 2019 at St. Mary’s Care Center in Madison. He was born in Manitowoc on July 7, 1942, the son of the late Edwin and Beatrice Boettger Zagrodnik.
Tom attended the Salvatorian Seminary and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1960. He attended UW-Madison and graduated from Milton College in 1965 with a degree in Business Administration and Economics. On June 12, 1965 he was united in marriage to Patricia Virginia Catherine Kelley in Manitowoc. She preceded him in death on May 4, 2000.
Tom was employed at Kohler Company for 38 years as a Senior Marketing Specialist and retired in 2003. Alongside his many professional achievements, Tom was especially well known for his “Wisconsin Night” parties, which brought the Wisconsin staples of beer, brats, polka music, and
Gemütlichkeit
to trade shows and other events across the country.
After retiring from his career at Kohler, Tom still enjoyed giving tours at the Kohler Design Center and was able to devote more time to his work with St. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Sheboygan. Tom was an active member of the Men’s Club and Parish Council as well as a mass reader and a communion server. Tom loved watching sports, especially baseball which he played throughout college. He also enjoyed fishing, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and stopping by a good brat fry.
If you were lucky enough to know Tom, you knew a man that always had a smile on his face, a joke or story to tell, and a hearty belly laugh to share. Always up for a good time, he loved entertaining and making others laugh. Tom will always be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. His jovial spirit and the twinkle in his eyes will not be forgotten.
Survivors include his two children, Scott (Vicki) Zagrodnik, of Brooklyn, WI and Kelly (Patrick) Coulthard, of Madison; his two grandchildren, Connor and Chloe Zagrodnik; his sister, Diane (Ron)Budnik, of Branch, WI; and his brother, Earl (Michele Dornan) Zagrodnik, of Salt Lake City, UT. He is further survived by many other relatives and friends. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his brother Alan Zagrodnik, and his niece, Catherine Rose.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 24, at 6:00 p.m. at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, 822 New Jersey Ave., Sheboygan with Rev. Paul Fliss officiating. Family and friends may gather at the church on Thursday afternoon for visitation from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Dinner, drinks, and laughter to follow. Burial will take place on Friday at Greendale Cemetery.
A heartfelt thank you is extended to the staff at St. Mary’s Care Center and SSM Health at Home Hospice for the kind care and support that was given to Tom and his family. A memorial fund has been established in Tom’s name.
The Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at
www.reinboldfh.com
