Thomas "Tommy" Southworth

Thomas “Tommy” Southworth

April 7 1936-December 12021

Tommy was born April 7th 1936 in Mauston Wisconsin, the son of Harold and Catherine Southworth. At the outbreak of the World War II in 1941, Catherine moved her family to Marshfield Wisconsin to be closer to her family. Tommy attended the old Washington Elementary School on Central Avenue, Purdy Junior High School, and Marshfield Senior High School in 1954. While in high school Tommy earned 9 varsity letters, 3 in football, 3 in basketball and 3 in baseball. He was named to the 2nd team all-valley conference Wisconsin Basketball team as a sophomore and the 1st team all-valley conference basketball team in his junior year as well as 1st team in his senior year. Tommy was a class officer and voted the most popular boy in the senior class.

After high school he joined the U.S. Air Force where he spent 1 year at Brooks AFB, in San Antonio Texas, 2 years in St. Johns New Found land and 1 year at Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas; he did all of this in the USAF Security Service Command. Upon his honorable discharge in 1958 he attended the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, graduating in 1963 with a double major in Social Studies and Physical Education. While at La Crosse he was a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa an honorary fraternity for men in Physical Education. Upon graduation in 1963 he took a position in the Sun Prairie School district where he taught physical education for 2 years and then took a year off from teaching to attend University of Wisconsin Stout where he received a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. After graduating in 1967 he took a position at Wausau Senior High School as a school counselor where he spent the next 32 years retiring in 1998.

Over the years he has been involved in numerous organizations and activities from PTA President, football official, the 1913 Honor-Flight, to being selected to the first Hall of Fame class established in the Marshfield School District in 2006.  However, the most important event that happened to Tommy was when he met the love of his life Shirley Wolf in 1958. It was during the summer and he had just gotten out of the service and both were working at “Sunnys” drive-in restaurant in Marshfield. She was a “car hop” and he was the inside man.  It was love at first sight and in a huge wedding the reception being held at the Marshfield armory. They were married in June of 1960 and were blessed with three children, John, James and Jane. The best times of their life were raising and watching as they grew into adulthood.

Tommy is preceded in death by his parents Catherine and Donald, his brother Dick, son James, grandson Jared, mother and father in-law Marge and Arthur Wolf, sister in-law Darlene Barrocas.

Tommy is survived by his wife Shirley, son John, daughter Jane (William) Baker-Slabich, along with seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at the Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Wausau.  Rev. Joseph Richards will preside.  Visitation will be Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services all at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the James Southworth Scholarship Fund, Wausau East High School, 2607 N. 18th Street, Wausau, WI 54403.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com