Thomas J. Virant, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully at his home on August 21, 2026, after a brave battle with mesothelioma. He was surrounded by his loving family.
Thomas is survived by his wife Malia Virant; his children (and spouses/partners): Christin (Abe Meinnert) Dehne, Amy (Christopher) Marinec, Erica (Christian) Campbell, Jason (Jennifer) Weiss, Ben (Abby) Darkow, Andrea (Brady) Whitcomb, and Nathan (Allison) Darkow, Lexi Schmidt; his grandchildren: Jakob, Alyssa, Hunter, Corban, Quinn, Alexandrea, Caitlyn, Christian, Annabelle, Elise, Charlotte, Aeris, Fisher, Sebastian, Lachlan, Calliope, Natalie, Logan, Henry, and Maeve; his siblings: Victoria (Gary) Gephart, Monica Virant, Patty (Milo) Weiss, Joe (Barb) Virant; and his in-laws: Robellie Gerk, Vivian (Gareth) Gerk, Starr Gerk (Greg), Liz (Karl) Klessig, Zach (Sue) Gerk, and Morgan (Jen) Gerk. He is also survived by many other uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends.
Thomas is preceded in death by his parents Victor and LaVerne (Trautschold) Virant, and his brother-in-law Steve Gerk.
Tom was born on June 22,1955 in Sheboygan, Wl. He graduated from Sheboygan North High School in 1974 and was a machinist in Sheboygan from 1975-1988. Tom moved to Florida to work as a supervisor building houses, he did small engine work for family and friends, and was a caregiver for TLC Homes. Thomas married Malia on February 14, 2002. Tom was a gifted accordion player who shared his gift of music at many nursing homes in the area. He was happiest performing and seeing the joy the music brought to the faces of his audience.
Tom and his wife Malia enjoyed traveling around the country in the “Spruce Goose,” their unique 1997 motor home. They called it “The Adventures of Tom and Malia,” and made time to visit with family as they explored portions of the United States. The very best trips were the ones with their grandchildren, where so many amazing memories were made. Tom was “Mr. Fix-It.” He took things apart, down to the last screw, and put them meticulously back together again. They always worked much better after the deft touch of his hands. Family was everything to Tom. He treasured every minute spent with Malia, his children, and his grandchildren, who held a very special place in his heart. It brought him great joy to be a part of their lives, and their unwavering love for Grandpa Tom will live on.
He embraced life every day, and his resiliency and faith in his savior Jesus were strong throughout his battle with cancer. Tom will always be remembered as being gentle, calm, courteous, kind, and loving. He will be missed by those who were lucky enough to be graced by his exuberant presence. The family would like to thank Dr. Bettag and his team, who so lovingly cared for Tom throughout this long journey. We would also like to thank the Sharon S. Richardson Hospice Team. We are forever grateful to you all.
There will be a Celebration of Life on August 27, 2026, from 12-3 p.m. at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, located at 94 N. Lincoln St. in Elkhart Lake, Wl. The Prayer Service presided by Fr. Subi Thomas will begin in the church at noon, followed by a potluck luncheon in the Church Hall with visitation AFTER the Prayer Service.
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