Thomas D. Smith

Surrounded by his dearest family, Thomas Daniel Smith, 64, passed away June 26, 2024, at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin from sudden cardiac arrest.
Tom was born on July 19,1959 in Ontonagon, Michigan to Alfred and Signe Smith. There in a tiny house on the corner of Minnesota Avenue and 3rd street, he grew up like all small-town boys do; getting into trouble with his five siblings Linda, David, Stephen, Nancy and John, and spending most of his waking hours in the woods and fishing with his dad. Tom graduated from Ontonagon Area High School at the top of his class and was a decorated basketball and track athlete. The boy could jump!
A wizard in math, science and physics, he graduated from Michigan Technological University on a full ride academic scholarship with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Following school, he worked for the Smurfit-Stone Container plant, and over the years became an expert in electrical systems engineering. Fittingly given his world-class skills in paper manufacturing, work led him to Appleton, Wisconsin "The Paper Valley" where he carved out the rest of his career. Always meticulous, always precise – he was as smart as a whip and an extremely talented problem solver. He lived this way outside of work too (Tom loved using emojis, so we just had to get one in here).
But work was never Tom's true love; that top prize unequivocally went to his family. On August 28, 1982, he married his hometown sweetheart Lisa Rinkinen, and they took off in his '77 Pontiac Firebird to build a new life together. Alongside his father, his three brothers, and his father in-law, he built their family home from the foundation up. There he and Lisa raised their beloved sons Eric and Aaron who adore him dearly. In 1995 as a wiser and more "mature dad," they instead took off in a '93 Chevy Lumina minivan to Packerland. There he built a wonderful new life for them in Appleton, Wisconsin.
After the kids left the nest, Tom continued his adventures traveling to spend time with them. From braving Minneapolis city traffic while biking down the middle of Hennepin Ave. with Aaron and Chris, RV'ing with Lisa through the Grand Canyon, to weddings on the East Coast and everything in-between, trips weren't just vacations – they were for family.
One of his greatest joys happened in 2017, when he became a proud grandfather. Henceforth dubbed "Papa TeeTee" by his dearest baby girls: Carmen and Cheyenne – he and "NiNi" drove countless hours from Wisconsin to the Northeast to play silly games, build mud kitchens, swing sets, and dress up for Halloween. They will miss his warm demeanor, his passion for reading, and of course his silly faces. Oh, and for Tom, putting on a costume was a HUGE deal.
Inherited from his father Al and his grandfather Gus, he was by most accounts the "humblest-of-handy-men" who could engineer, build and fix anything. Throughout his life he graciously shared his talents with others – and sometimes that selflessness bordered on foolishness! Always "Safety Tom" to everyone else, when it came to himself those rules went out the window. Whether it was shoring up collapsing foundations, scaling three-story ladders to fix chimneys, or many other dangerous situations, he never hesitated to jump in and help his family and friends. Tom was a man of few words (except his text messages!), but his legacy of giving and teaching others spoke more than talk ever could. We can never fully express how much those acts of service meant to him. Just know they were truly his labor of love.
The rest of him was, and will always be lost somewhere in the lakes, rivers and mountains of Michigan and Wisconsin. An avid fisherman and outdoorsman, he spent much of his life appreciating the beauty of the Great Lakes region and the wonders of nature with his dad, his wife, his sons, and the rest of his family and friends. Each Friday was a mad scramble to assemble the fishing gear, the boat, the kayaks, the skis, and the rest of the supplies to escape to nowhere – and that was alright by him.
Shortly after his death, we found these notes written in his notebook for what we assume was an "about me" for his newest job. Long winded wasn't Tom's style, so what better way to summarize than in his own words. Take it home dad:
"Tom Smith, wife Lisa, son Aaron, son Eric and his wife Danielle and their daughters Carmen and Cheyenne, traveling to spend time with family, spoiling Carmen and Cheyenne, hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, fishing, XC-skiing, gardening, all things Lake Superior, building "stuff"."
Tom is survived by his wife Lisa Smith (Rinkinen), Sons Eric and Aaron Smith, daughter in Law Danielle Ulacco, siblings Linda (Jim) Rein, David (Yvonne) Smith, Stephen (Joyce) Smith, Nancy Walker, John Smith, uncles Harvey and Roger Leaf, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Tom was preceded in death by his brother James Smith, beloved nephew Jimmy Rein, his mother Signe Smith, and his father Alfred Smith.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at St. Vincent Hospital, the Green Bay Police, EMTs, and his employer Schreiber Foods. Your dedication and generosity will never be forgotten.
A memorial service will be held Sunday August 11th, at 1pm at the Ontonagon Township Park Legion cabin on the Shores of Lake Superior. A picnic lunch and a celebration of Toms life to follow the service. This was truly his happy place.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider donating to Trout Unlimited and the American Heart Association.