Thomas "Tom" Monroe

Thomas “Tom” Monroe passed away peacefully on January 16, 2022, at the age of 63 surrounded by his loving family. Tom was born on March 27, 1958, and grew in Cedarburg, one of nine children to Marian (Frey) and Glenn Monroe. Anyone that met Tom admired his kind and playful spirit. He loved to make people laugh. He was a loving husband, father, uncle, son, sibling, and friend. He was always the last to leave a social gathering and the first to offer a hand with clean up. Tom had a way with people. He would befriend anyone he met and could spend time talking and telling stories to anyone; his siblings would add that their brother Tommy had a way of talking himself out of any trouble. Tom will be remembered as a patient, fun, hardworking, and optimistic man. Tom started working at Frank Mayer & Associates in Grafton while he was in high school and spent his entire career with the company. Outside of work, Tom was happiest while tackling projects, hunting, kayaking, fishing, spending time at his lake house, snowmobiling, and adventuring to new places. When his children were younger, he coached their soccer, baseball, and basketball teams, and even built musical theater sets. He was also an active member of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Grafton, teaching Sunday School, serving on various committees, and supervising youth mission trips. Although he battled pancreatic cancer for nearly seven years, he truly embraced his final years of life and lived them fully. He enjoyed taking on odd jobs, such as helping his longtime friend Dave Rintelman build a house, chopping down trees, painting houses, and lending a helping hand to anyone that needed it. He went on many hunting, fishing, and motorcycle trips; including elk hunting in New Mexico and fishing on Lake Eerie. He spent his last years doing the things he loved and hardly ever sitting still. Tom’s positive attitude was inspirational to all around him. Those Tom leaves behind to cherish his memory include his wife Kathleen (Wickert); his two children Alex (and spouse Kayla) and Kristin; his mother Marian Engle; his siblings Gary, Steve, David (Julie), Ken (Jill), Kathy, Pauline, and Karen (Kevin Heiking), and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. He is preceded in death by his father Glenn, sister Jeanne, and mother- and father-in-law. A private family service is planned, and a larger celebration of life will be held on a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Tom to the Pilgrim UCC Family Fund or the We Care Fund at the Medical College of Wisconsin to further pancreatic cancer research.