Tom Mahlberg

Tom Mahlberg, 1946 – 2021 Tom Mahlberg’s gentle spirit has returned to God, his faith having sustained him through a sojourn on Earth filled with great challenges and greater joys. He died Tuesday August 3, 2021 of a heart attack, leaving behind many who loved him deeply. Many will miss Tom. But his loss most deeply touches his wife Diana (Hazelbaker) Mahlberg, who married the love of her life on their beloved Sanibel Island beach on November 29, 1995. Twenty-five happy years followed. Tom’s legacy includes his wonderful daughter from his first marriage, Andrea “Raye” Mahlberg, PhD (fiancé Jared Davis), who is President of Community HigherEd, and his grandchildren, Jaxon, Phoenix and Emilia, and Jared’s daughter Layla. Through marriage to Diana, he gained a stepdaughter, Jenny (Chris) Danks, and two more grandchildren, Andrew and Logan Danks, all of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Tom was admired by his nephew Kevin Mahlberg (wife Maggie) and his great niece Brittany Mahlberg, great nephew Zach Mahlberg, and great nephew Tony Mahlberg, His nephew Sean Mahlberg (wife Katie) and his great nephews Mason and Colin Mahlberg, and his Niece Lindsay Villwok (Husband Jake). Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on the Fourth of July, 1946 to Rita and Jerry Mahlberg, Tom shared childhood adventures with a brother, John (wife Jill) and sister Mary (husband John) Hubert. The family moved to Milwaukee while Tom was a child. He lived a Baby Boomer’s life. Seeing (but, due to screaming, not hearing) The Beatles in their 1964 Milwaukee concert. He graduated from Jordan High School in Milwaukee. He served in the U.S. Army, including a year in Vietnam. He was proud to share a birthday with the country he loved. After discharge, Tom was an Air Traffic Controller until 1981. He had a variety of jobs until he became service manager of a Milwaukee car dealer. He worked there 25 years until retirement. In 2003, Tom became seriously ill with throat cancer. He met it with quiet courage, unyielding strength and limitless faith. With the help of Froedert Hospital’s brilliant staff, he beat cancer and recovered. He returned to work, retiring at 65 to enjoy life. He then pursued his longtime hobby of collecting and (sometimes) repairing old cars. He and Diana spent the colder months in Florida. A dedicated Parrothead, Tom attended every Jimmy Buffett festival at Alpine Valley. Throughout Tom’s life, devotion to God, faith in Jesus Christ and membership in the Catholic Church were all he needed to move serenely through life. He attended Mass weekly because his relationship with God was his core. Tom was a fun guy. He had a great sense of humor and loved to spend time with friends. He loved nothing more than to be near the water, whether to look out over it or sail a boat upon it. It was, therefore, a perfect ending to a life well lived (if too soon ended) that he passed away sitting on a bench looking over Springstead Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. We will remember him fondly. A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 14 at St. Mary Help of Christians, W856 Highway 18, Sullivan, WI 53178, from 9 am to 11 am, with funeral service to follow. Burial will be held at Summit Cemetery where military honors will be accorded.