Thomas H Elfering

Thomas H. Elfering, 87, a lifelong resident of Lake County, passed away peacefully at his home on January 5, 2026, surrounded by the family he loved so dearly. Born in Libertyville and a proud graduate of the LHS Class of 1956, Tom's life was defined by hard work, a curious mind, and a deep devotion to his roots.
After honorably serving in the U.S. Army, Tom began his career as a bricklayer. He was a craftsman at heart; the bricklaying skills he honed working for his uncle allowed him to hand-build with his brother Bud, the brick home in Gurnee where he would eventually raise his family. Never one to stop growing, Tom later transitioned from manual labor to the cutting edge of computer technology. He served as an IT systems analyst for International Harvester before dedicating 30 years to Littelfuse in Des Plaines.
Tom had the rare ability to fix anything he touched. When he wasn't working with his hands, he was staying active on the golf course, the racquetball court, or going to the gym with his friends. An accomplished bowler, he achieved the rare feat of a perfect 300 game. He also found great joy in the simple pleasures: taking his Corvette out for a drive and meeting his lifelong friends at Morgan's. Above all, Tom was a steady mentor and a guiding light for his family. His wisdom and presence will be profoundly missed.
Tom is survived by his wife Annette Maniola-Elfering being together for 40 years; his children Kimberly Elfering Stanley, Scott Elfering, Joseph (Laura) Maniola and Vincent (Dr. Laura Stratton) Maniola; his grandchildren Gavin Stanley, Owen and Kyle Elfering, David, Rachel and Grace Maniola and Amy (Sam) Allen and Michael Maniola; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Leo and Edythe; his brothers Lawrence and Leo "Bud" and his sister Frances "Doll" Romeo.
A celebration of life will be held on Friday Jan 16th from 10:00 – 12:30 pm at McMurrough Funeral Chapel, 101 Park Pl, Libertyville followed by a memorial service. Interment Lakeside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials to the Gary Sinise Foundation https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/ would be greatly appreciated.
The Service at 12:30 will be livestreamed via the following link using the passcode 011626 To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thomas, please visit our floral store.