Donald "Don" Tinjum

Donald “Don” D. Tinjum, 66, died Monday, November 28, 2022 surrounded by his loving family at home. 

He was born May 6, 1956 in Perham, Minnesota, son of the late Donald and Dorothy (Pinter) Tinjum.  His younger days were spent in Frazee, MN and in the fall of 1968 they moved to Stanley, WI.  Graduating from UW-Stout with a degree in Computer Science he moved to Wausau, Wisconsin and started working for Wausau Insurance.   While in Wausau it was through running that he met his future wife Sharon.  They were married on April 9, 1983  at St. Matthew’s Parish in Wausau.

Don enjoyed running daily and loved it so much that he ended up doing 6 marathons. He was most proud of qualifying and placing 689th in 2 hours and 43 minutes for the Boston Marathon in 1982. He later went back to UW-Stevens Point to earn his Masters in Education to become a high school math teacher.

Teaching and coaching were his true passions in life.  Don first taught at Newman Catholic and transitioned to D.C. Everest where after 29 total years of influencing many young students and athletes’ lives he retired. He coached cross country and basketball, but his one true calling as a coach was track and field.  Don helped coach 4 different teams to state titles, (3 at Newman and 1 at Everest).  He has many fond memories of his coaching days from hosting ice cream parties, watching the movie McFarland with the distance kids, to driving around in his van encouraging his runners on their long runs.  Besides coaching, he always made time for his favorite hobby, golf.  When the school year ended he enjoyed a second job working at Pine Valley Golf Course. After retiring from teaching Don could usually be found golfing at least five days a week with family and friends.  He enjoyed teaching his kids and grandkids how to golf from an early age in life, many great memories were had on the course.  Between rounds on the golf course you could find him active on the track and field scene mentoring his oldest grandchild and his teammates.  He spent many hours helping train them during the offseason.  Other activities he enjoyed in life were watching lots of football, playing card games, hanging out at the cabin with cousins, traveling down south where it was warm, and hosting many family gatherings at their house.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon Tinjum, Wausau; children, JoEllen Tinjum, Wausau; Ashley (John) Hoffman, Wauwatosa and Kyle Tinjum, Crystal, MN; grandchildren, Curtis Tinjum, Briana, Blake and Luka Hoffman; siblings, Diane Moderson, Cindy (Ron) Janiesewski, Dean Tinjum and Jim (Glorily) Tinjum; mother-in-law, Joanne Berndt; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sue (Mike) Klos, Mike Berndt, Paul (Amy) Berndt, David Berndt and Teresa (Jamie) Rihn, many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Robert Berndt and brother-in-law, Joseph Berndt.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 10, 2022 at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Wausau.  Rev. Sebastian Kolodziejczyk will preside.  Visitation will be Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home, 3400 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, and again on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services at St. Matthew Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com