Thomas J. "Tom" Hinsenkamp

1938 - 2019

East Troy - 81, passed away on Friday, December 20, 2019, surrounded by family at St. Luke's Hospital in Milwaukee. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Valerie (nee Lanza), three of their four children, Chad (Barb), Sean, and Erin (Jay) McInnes, two sisters, Joyce and Marilyn, a brother, William, 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Martin (Monica), parents, Herb and Vivian (nee Whalen), and three sisters, Joan, Patricia, and Janet.

He was born August 17, 1938, in Milwaukee, WI, and graduated from Elcho High School in 1956. He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Valerie, on February 14, 1959. He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1960 and began training in the Milwaukee firefighter's academy in 1962, which he successfully completed launching a rewarding 28-year career as a firefighter for the Milwaukee Fire Department. In his time with the MFD, Tom earned many accolades and became an exceptionally valued leader of the department earning the rank of Captain and finally retiring in 1990. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the St. Jude League and was a longtime congregation member of St. Peter's Catholic Church in East Troy.

Tom was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who will be deeply missed by his many extended family members and dear friends. He will be remembered for his deep and infectious laugh, his love of the great outdoors and for his astonishing patience, which helped him survive the six glorious decades of marriage to the brightest light and loudest mouth he was ever blessed to know. He was a great storyteller, an even better listener, and he was a true hero, both for the countless lives he saved during his time as a firefighter and for his unwavering dedication to his family, whose lives and wellbeing he always treated as his No. 1 priority, even when he lost count of his ever-growing gaggle of grand- and great-grandchildren.

Celebration of Life will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020, at St Mary's Catholic Faith Community, 9520 W. Forest Home Ave., Hales Corners. Memorial Mass at 1:30 PM. If desired, memorials may be made in Tom's name to St. Jude Hospital for Children.