Thomas Muench

Muench, Thomas Suddard "Tom"

MADISON - Karen and Collen lost husband and father, Tom, on Jan. 20, 2021, as he succumbed to multiple system atrophy, a very rare brain disease, at age 81.

He was born on May 18, 1939, in Green Bay, to Virgil and Ruth (Suddard) Muench, and grew up there with his older sisters, Ann (Garrett) and Jane (Burke). Naturally, he became a lifelong Packers devotee. Throughout his life, he also enthusiastically supported Badgers football, hockey and basketball.

In his 20s, with his mother's encouragement, Tom studied art at UW-Green Bay, later transferring to UW-Madison. He graduated with a degree in art and teaching. When Southwest High School (grades 7-12) opened in Green Bay in 1964, he was hired as the entire art department. There he met Karen, an English/social studies teacher. They married in 1965. Loving teaching, but finding eighth graders a challenge, he enrolled in graduate school at UW-Madison, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree. He then taught art at UW-Whitewater, finding it joyful and rewarding.

With Collen's birth, Tom shifted careers to stay-at-home Dad. Here he raised multitasking to an art form; his artistic gifts permeated every endeavor. He became a fine cook and a master woodworker; he celebrated his abiding love for everything "airplane" by building his beloved balsa free-flight and control-line airplane models; and he devoted hours to perfecting his drawings and symbolistic oil paintings. His paintings were accepted in the Madison Art Center Triennial Exposition several times. He engaged in sports with a similar determination, learning to skate in his 30s and playing league hockey into his 70s. He took up golf with equal intensity.

For over 70 years Tom spent many of his happiest days at the family cottage at Rosey Lake in Marinette County. He loved walking in the woods, often with his beloved wirehaired terrier, Tristan. Tom felled trees, split firewood, tied his own flies for trout fishing on the Peshtigo River, and generally reveled in all of nature's offerings, especially birds. Listening for the whip-poor-wills at dusk became a family ritual. This passion for nature inspired his poetry writing.

Tom said he never slept better than when he was at Rosey. His ashes will rest there with Tristan.

Karen and Collen greatly appreciate all the support and love from family and friends over the course of Tom's disease. Tom's nieces, Kathleen Burke and Laura Ovberg, have been especially patient, generous, and kind in their care for the family, and in their loving devotion to Tom.

Day birds songs

Begin to cease

As earth shadow

Advances and evening songs

Begin