In Memory

Thomas E. Gorecki

Thomas E. Gorecki

Gorecki, Thomas Edward

b. 12/26/1953

d. 06/27/2022 Manitowoc, Manitowoc Co., WI

Thomas E. "Tom" Gorecki

Thomas E. Gorecki, age 68, a Manitowoc resident, passed away Monday, June 27, 2022 at Manitowoc Health and Rehabilitation Center, with the love of his life, Kay, next to him.

He was born December 26, 1953 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of Mary M. (Voss) Gorecki and the late Edward J. Gorecki. Tom attended Custer High School in Milwaukee, then went on to study at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

He worked at Falk Corp in Milwaukee until January 1978 when he was severely burnt in a furnace explosion. Tom later held many other jobs including being an EMT and an Emergency/Fire Dispatcher for the Fond Du Lac County Sheriffs Department until his retirement.

He loved doing crossword puzzles as well as watching the documentary and discovery channels until his eyes started to fail him. He especially loved playing trivia, in fact his team from Stevens Point took first place a few times. After meeting Kay, he talked her into joining and did a few of the pubs in Manitowoc. His team from Stevens Point was known as “Goodnight Irene”.

Tom is survived by his fiancé: Kay Keller; his mother: Mary Gorecki, Milwaukee; sister: Kathy (Bill) Bono, Milwaukee; his brother: Jim (Cheryl) Gorecki, Sussex, WI; and nieces and nephews: Heather, Jenni, Emily, and Brayden.

He was preceded in death by his father: Edward J. Gorecki and his sister: Mary E. Gorecki.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home, 628 North Water Street, Manitowoc. Officiating at the service will be the Rev. David Pleier.

Following the service, a luncheon for relatives and friends will be held at the Harrigan Parkside Gathering Center, 620 North Water Street, Manitowoc, located on the south property of the Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home.

Thomas will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery, in Two Rivers.

The family will greet relatives and friends from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home, Manitowoc.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family by visiting www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com.

The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home, Manitowoc, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

Tom and Kay would like to thank everyone at the Manitowoc Health and Rehabilitation Center for all the care and thoughtfulness given to Tom. "Your kindness to Tom in the last week was truly helpful to both of us. Jessica, Adrienne, Brenna, Gabby, and Abbi to name a few that we cannot thank enough.

Thank you to Davita Kidney Center in Manitowoc for treating Tom. It was a struggle for him but Kay thanks you all dearly. Tom’s body was just tired.

Thank you to the Sharon S. Richardson Hospice, for your passion and care, you made Tom’s transition very calm and relaxing. Just like Tom wanted it, nice and quiet.  

Now for a little humor, Tom wanted to thank Penny and her family for always helping move him from place to place, even if they did lose his black dress shoes.

Tom, how I wish I met you sooner, I really don’t know what I’m going to do without you."

 

(Gorecki, b. 12/19/1953)

https://www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com/obituary/thomas-tom-gorecki



 
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09/28/22 11:21 AM #1    

Karen M. Thompson

It is with such a sad heart to hear of Tom's passing. Tom and I were classmates and friends grade school thru college. We called each other "cuz" because we were "more than friends". Rest in peace Cuz!


09/28/22 01:46 PM #2    

Denise K. Becker (Reese)

I was so sorry to hear about Tom's passing, but I did know that he had many health problems for years.  His burn accident sidelined him for years, and his dispatching job didn't really help, because it kept reminding him of his own trauma.  Tom was in Finian's Rainbow with me, and some other community plays.  I knew him from CYO, and German class as well.  Tom and I used to conspire before German class as to how to get Miss Jungton off track during class, so that there would be no spot quiz that day (she was famous for that).  He was the best at distracting her!  We also watched "All Star Wrestling" over the weekends, and then we'd come to school to talk about it.  Tom was the best at doing impressions of those wrestlers, especially, "Da Crusher".  We also came up with our own German language.  It was called, "Sud-Duetsch", or our own version of the southern German dialect.  We would speak German with an American southern accent, and make up a lot of words from English for the words we didn't now in German.  It never stopped cracking us up what we could invent.  We made sure that Miss Jungton never heard us!  Later in life,  Tom asked me to sit in with him a couple times when other "Goodnight Irene" team members could not make trivia night.  It was an honor to be asked,  really, when I saw how seriously he took it.  He was extremely quick with answers, despite his years of suffering.  We did win once, and I think came in second the other time.  Most of all, it was fun.  I lost touch with him these last few years, but I think he maybe didn't want people to see him suffering.  He had a big heart.  I will miss him.  


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