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Peter “Pete” Tomasi passed away on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at Aspirus hospice house in Wausau, WI. After a hard-fought battle with intestinal cancer, he was able to spend his last days surrounded by his loving family.
Born to Peter and Cecelia (Klapperich) Tomasi in Mohawk Michigan, he was an inquisitive and hard-working young man who graduated from Calumet high school in 1959. He set out for Marquette University in Milwaukee, with a goal of early entrance to the dental school. He achieved that goal and graduated from the Marquette dental school in 1965. While there, he met Carol Ann Schmidt, of Plymouth, Wisconsin, whom he married in 1967.
In 1965, he joined the US Navy, and served first in Paris Island and then in Vietnam, before completing his service in 1967. He and Carol first moved to Milwaukee, where he returned to Marquette dental school to finish his orthodontic studies in 1969. They then moved to Wausau, Wisconsin, to raise their family, while Pete cared for many generations of central Wisconsin smiles. He loved the field of orthodontics because he enjoyed helping young people.
In 2005, he and wife Carol retired to Crandon, Wisconsin, where he spent his time out on the lake and in the woods enjoying the nature of the Northwoods he so loved. He loved cooking, making maple syrup with dear friends, watching hummingbirds, traveling, spending time with his family and friends, reading, and working with his hands.
After a cancer diagnosis last year, he chose to fight as long as he could, to give him more time with family and friends and the life he so loved.
He is survived by his wife Carol (Schmidt), his siblings Paul (Lorraine), Michael (Sue) and Lucy (Jim) McGuire, his children Peter (Jane), Marie (Chris Jelen), Elizabeth Landretti (David) and Carol Bushman (Matt). He is also survived by his 7 grandchildren, Charlie, Zella and Maddie Tomasi, Alex and Grace Jelen, and Wes and August Bushman, as well as many caring nieces and nephews.
He has proceeded and death by his sister Janice (George) Baudino, and his parents Peter and Cecelia (Klapperich) Tomasi.
Most heartfelt gratitude is extended to the caring staff at the Marshfield Clinic and Saint Clare’s Hospital in Weston for their help over this last year. Also to the loving and respectful care conveyed through the hospice period, both at Pride TLC and the Aspirus Hospice House in Wausau. Extended family and friends have also demonstrated beautiful love through gifts of support and time.
Visitation will be on July 2 from 9 to 10:30 at the Erickson-Crowley-Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet, MI. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11am Sacred Heart Church
