Thomas John Petterson

Thomas John Petterson, a legend in his own right, has officially moved on to the great outdoors in the sky. Tom, born April 16, 1936 in Troy, Michigan, spent his life as a union electrition, entertaining us through bad "Dad jokes", an impressive collection of questionable stories or "Tommyisms", and a love for family and friends. He always had a strong work ethic and he made friends easily by chatting up strangers at donut shops, in elevators or even at grocery store checkouts. He was a master of hunting
and fishing (if you count success every 20 years or so), a surprisingly skilled handyman even without excessive nagging, a music lover of symphony and tunes he grew up with, plus Tom was a true believer in the power of having a Norwegian heritage.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM TOM'S LIFE (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER):
Sports Lover - A die-hard University of Michigan football fan, he'd avoid conversations and outings if it meant missing maize and blue on the field. But to be fair, he would also enjoy Michigan State University football as long as the coach wasn't doing something inappropriate off the field. Tom would cheer on the Detroit Lions even when they played miserably, like every real Lions fan. And he enjoyed proudly watching his kids and grand kids play sports over the years.
Rochester Community Involvement - Tom, along with his late wife, Judi, presided and organized the Rochester Arts n Apples festival for several years back in the late 1960s/early 1970s when it was just a giant tent and pavilion in the park. He also was a longtime member of the Rochester Lions Club. He enjoyed participating in fundraisers for Leader Dogs for the Blind but his favorite part was the camaraderie with members and the community. After all, Tom had no issues starting friendly
conversations with strangers.
Master of the Grill and Kitchen - He could cook a steak to perfection, if you liked it rare to medium rare. He loved oysters on the half shell and was always good about trying new foods and restaurants. He made the best hot and sour soup, memorable blueberry pancakes, and his venison chili was a must for every deer hunting season. Love was definitely a main ingredient.
The Great Outdoorsman - Tom loved to spend time up North at the cottage in Lost Lake Woods Club, near where he spent time growing up on his grandparent's farm. The cottage was a source of joy and a place to reminisce about the good old hunting season days with cousins and friends, drinking cheap scotch and talking about the one buck that got away (or the many that got away). He liked to go trout and salmon fishing on the Great Lakes and he enjoyed taking his side-by-side into the woods or to the Clubhouse to talk the ears off the front desk staff.
Wild Blackberry Jam Maker - Tom was dedicated to beating the blackberry pickers deep in Lost Lake Woods every summer in order to make his prized blackberry jam. If you got a jar, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.
He is survived by: his children, John, Karen (spouse Jeff), Mark (spouse Shelly), Stacey, Eric (spouse Angela) and Todd (spouse Nadia); his grandchildren, Katy, Janelle, Vaun, Andrew, Amanda, Leah, and Alayna; and his fur-grandchildren, Hobbes, Yumi and Banyan.
Tom leaves us with a legacy of memorable stories, the importance of good company, the love of family, a sense of community and a passion for the outdoors. He'll be buried at a later date next to his wife, Judi, at historic Spruce Presbyterian Church in Spruce, Michigan. He'll be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be made to the good deeds of the Rochester Lions Club https://www.rochesterlionsclub.org/ or the Rochester-Avon Historical Society https://www.rochesteravonhistoricalsociety.org/donations/.