Died: 8 June 2023
Thomas Harry Chesak, of Kewaskum, was called to walk with the Lord on 8 June 2023, at the young age of 48 years. Tom was born on 21 September 1974 in St. Alphonsus Hospital in Port Washington to Harry and Kay (nee Knoebel) Chesak. Tom went to grade school at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Newburg; middle school at Badger Middle School in West Bend; and then graduated from West Bend West High School in 1992; graduated from Midwest Broadcasting School in Madison, and then from 1997-2003 Tom was the on-air personality (Tommy C) on B93 Country in Sheboygan. While working there, he held his yearly “Warm Up Tommy C” Coat Drive, along with other benefits. Tom graduated from LTC (Lakeshore Technical College) in 2006 with an Associate Degree in Accounting, and then in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting. Up until about 11 months ago, Tom worked for the Milwaukee Veterans Affairs office.
Tom was diagnosed in 1989 with Muscular Dystrophy. MD, however, was not the cause of his passing. It was a combination of a sepsis diagnosis on May 30, and liver cancer diagnosis on June 1.
Living with Muscular Dystrophy, Tom lived his life as full as his body allowed. He has spent the last 16 years in a wheelchair. But that didn’t stop him from attending his boys’ football and baseball games, and wrestling matches; or his nieces and nephews (and great-nieces and great-nephews) football, basketball, baseball and softball games; or giving his great-nieces wheelchair rides around Newburg. Over the years, Tom could be found announcing the West Bend East Girls’ Softball games, and later the West Bend East Wrestling matches.
Tom has two sons, Brendan (20) and Collin (18). His boys were his life!! They enjoyed many Brewers games and traveling. Their favorite vacation being to Yellowstone National Park in 2018.
Tom is survived by his sons, Brendan (special friends Shay) and Collin; his parents Harry and Kay; his siblings: Sue (John) Kastner of West Bend, Patty (John) Beimborn of Newburg, Jeff (Beth) Chesak of Apopka, FL, Russ (Sherry) Chesak of Farmington, MO, Kris (Dave) Pansing of West Bend and Sherry (Kyle) Peiffer of Belgium; many nephews and nieces: Andy (Lisa) Kastner, Aaron (Jasmine) Kastner and Lindsey Kastner (Andy Paikowski); Chuck (Rachel) Beimborn, Kevin Beimborn, JJ (Karissa) Beimborn and Ashley (Kyle) Wolf; Jeffrey (Erin) Chesak, Erica (Jesse) Stern; Samantha (Richard) Anderson, Heidi (Jim) Dikeman, Garrett Chesak, Gabby Chesak (Chase Snyder); Sydney Pansing and Mitchell Pansing; Jacob Peiffer, Sam Peiffer and Matthew Peiffer; many great-nephews and great-nieces: Mason, Madelyn and Olivia Kastner, Calvin Kastner; Shayde, Brystle, Braelyn and Slayden Beimborn; KeyLynn Beimborn; Aubree, Alivia and Myla Beimborn; Kinsley Wolf; Oliver, Nolan and Carter Chesak; Summer Joy, Otto, Odie, Oscar, Maisie Grace and Tillie Elizabeth Stern; Erik and Elizabeth Anderson and McKenzie Dikeman.
Tom was preceded in death by his grandparents, Martin and Loretta Chesak and Ward and Jane Knoebel.
So many thank you’s to so many special people in Tom’s life. Thank you to all of his resident friends at the Kettle Moraine Gardens Assisted Living in Kewaskum, where he lived the past 11 months. All those who stopped to visit, shared a Friday night beer, or just enjoyed small talk…Thank you!
Thank you to the Thull family members, as well as their amazing staff at Kettle Moraine Gardens for taking special care of Tom. We are so grateful for your ability to accommodate for him to be able to spend his last days at home. There are too many wonderful people who work there, it would be hard to name only a few. But a special thank you has to be given to Vicki “Godlady”, who was there for Tom always, and for the family the past week.
Thank you to the ER doctors and nurses at Froedtert West Bend. Special thanks to Dr. Liu and Terrie (nurse).
Thank you to the ICU doctors and nurses at Froedtert Menomonee Falls. All the nurses were wonderful, but a special thank you to Tina (nurse).
Thank you to Preceptor Hospice Care for your ability to quickly get Tom home and keep him comfortable.
Special thanks to Tracy Ermer for your help with planning to get Tom home from the hospital. You are a truly wonderful human being!!
We are certain there are others, so just know we are thankful to all who have been a part of Tom’s life.
Per Tom’s request, no funeral service is intended. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 2 p.m. at the Pansing residence, 7511 Hwy D, West Bend. All are welcome!
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to help pay for funeral home end of life expenses, and for Tom’s boys.
The Schmidt Funeral Home of West Bend is serving the family. Messages for the family may be left in an online guestbook at www.schmidtfuneralhome.com.
Tom is pictured in the 4th edition of the Friedrich Seidemann Family Tree Book on page 78 with his parents and his siblings and on page 81 on his wedding day. He is listed on page 140 with his parents, siblings, wife and their two children; Brendan and Collin. Tom is a 6th generation descendant of Friedrich and Rosine Seidemann and his genealogy line is as follows: Friedrich, Traugott, Clara, Martin, Harry, and Thomas.