Thomas L. Slagoski

Thomas L. Slagoski, age 69, Bevent, died peacefully at his home on June 10, 2017 surrounded by his wife and daughters, after a courageous ten month battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He wrote this before his death: If you are reading this, I am no longer here. I grew up on a small dairy farm in Shantytown, Wisconsin. As a kid, I rode my bike with a cane pole and a tomato soup can full of worms to my favorite fishing holes. When my parents couldn't find me, they looked for my dog and if the dog was gone, they knew the dog and I were fishing. Potato vacation was every fall. Rosholt High School would shut down for two weeks, and I would pick potatoes for a nickel a bushel. The money I got, I used for a hunting license and a box of shells. When I was 18, my dad took me with him to Wisconsin Rapids Court House to get a farm deferment. When we got there, my dad told me to stay in aisle and he would get the deferment. I walked to the other end of the court house and enlisted in the Marine Corps. I served in the U.S. Marines from April 28, 1967 to April 28, 1970. I was a helicopter mechanic. When I returned home, I got a job working at the paper mill in Rothschild (first named American Can, then Weyerhaeuser, and now Domtar). I told myself, I would only stay for the summer and get a construction job afterwards. However, 43 A½ years later, I retired from that same paper mill, on June 8, 2013. Two years after starting at the paper mill, I met my wife. We got married on September 3, 1973; we've been married for 43 years. It was exciting starting a life with another person. We did a lot of tent camping on islands. Four years later, we had our first daughter. Two years, another daughter. And two years later, our third daughter was born. We did a lot of tent camping with our family, but it seemed like we always got rained out. So in 1986, we bought an RV and every summer we took two weeks of vacation and camped out in six or seven different states each trip. Our daughters still enjoy camping and nature. God gave me a beautiful voice and I enjoyed singing in church choirs. When I get to heaven, I hope I can be in one of God's choirs. My love of fishing never left me. After retiring, Mary and I enjoyed fishing at my favorite fishing hole (I fished there for over 60 years). I rowed the boat so Mary could fish. God was good to us; we always caught fish. I think my grandchildren will continue my love of fishing. When I was young, I went fishing every day, and I know my grandson, Daniel, wants to do the same. Thomas was born May 16, 1948 in Stevens Point. Survivors include his wife, Mary (McNeely) Slagoski; 3 daughters, Amy Slagoski (Lee Tillman), St. Petersburg, FL, Kasia (Matthew) Bolinger, Bevent, Rachel (B. Matthews) Sheils, Montreal, QC, Canada; and beloved family, Dennis (Lisa) Cepress, Acworth, GA; Karen Cepress, Baltimore, MD, 10 grandchildren, Mary, Daniel and Julia Bolinger, Emma and Lucas Sheils, Brandon, Eric, Will, Zack and Kate Cepress; 2 sisters, Carol Trantow (Marty Dentinger) and Mary Jane Buchkowski. He was preceded in death by his parents Benjamin and Mary (Schrader) Slagoski and 2 brothers: Ronald and William "Bill" Slagoski. Visitation will be Friday June 16 from 4 - 7 p.m. at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church in Bevent (Rosary at 6:45 p.m.). A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday June 17 at 11 a.m. at St. Ladislaus Catholic Church with visitation from 9 a.m. until time of services. Fr. Augustine Bentil will officiate. Full Military honors will be conducted following the funeral mass. In lieu of flowers, Thomas requested memorials to The Salvation Army, Attn: Wendy, 202 Callon St, Wausau, WI 54401 or Big Bass Lake Rehabilitation District, c/o Tony Trzebiatowski, 8933 County Rd B, Amherst, WI 54406 (funds will be used for rehabilitation and preservation of the lake). Our family would like to extend our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Fr. Gus and Sister Mary Ellen, the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff, namely Dr. Christopher Peterson, at Aspirus Cancer Center and Aspirus Wausau Hospital and to Heartland Hospice for their wonderful and compassionate care. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 1302 Sixth Street, Wausau is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com