Thomas P. Wanzek

To join's Tom's family for his Life Celebration Service, please click on the Live-Stream Link below the obituary.  

Tom Peter Wanzek, 90, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in his Moorhead home.

Tom was born August 12, 1933, in Windsor, ND, to Peter and Martha (Pyzick) Wanzek.  He attended school in Windsor and graduated at St. Johns’ Academy in Jamestown, ND.  Tom’s mother died when he was just 5 years old, leaving 10 children at home on the farm with their dad.  He was very proud of his Polish heritage.  

Tom married Rae Spangler in Jamestown, ND, on June 15, 1955.  Over the years, they lived in California, North Dakota and then settled in Moorhead where they raised 2 daughters, Linda, and Julie, on the famous (to those who lived there) 17th Street South.  Tom had various jobs, including bus driver, grain elevator operator, truck driver, Holiday Inn maintenance and until just 2 years ago worked at Azool Hornbachers in Moorhead, where he got to see and visit many people he had known for many years. Tom and Rae also had a retirement job working for Ambassador Cleaners.

The family enjoyed traveling, taking road trips out west, while Linda and Julie were younger.   He enjoyed driving his boat on Detroit Lakes where he learned to ski before he learned to swim!  He stayed active with snow skiing and golfing, where he was proud of his Hole-In-One at the Meadows. Tom and Rae enjoyed going out to eat and trying their luck at the casinos.  He kept busy with gardening, helping family and friends with being able to fix almost anything, and taking care of his grand cats.  Tom was a lifelong member of the Elks in Jamestown, and at First Congregational Church in Moorhead.

He is survived by his wife, Rae, of 68 years, daughters, Linda (Greg) Nord, and Julie Wanzek (Tim Matzke), both of Moorhead; three grandchildren, Casey (Alyssa) Nord, Alex Nord, and Emily (Chase) Driscoll; great-grandchildren include Teagan, Kinsley, Easton, Graham, Beau, and baby boy Driscoll in late March;  siblings, Mary Winberg, Helen Sehr, Carol Froemke, and Raymond Wanzek; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings, James, Stanley, Pat, Rose, and Mark.

We would like to thank Hospice of the Red River Valley for their care.

We Celebrate a long life well lived, and his kind soul will remain with us always.

A Celebration of Life Service for Thomas will begin at 1:00 PM, Friday, March 22, 2024, followed by a Visitation and Luncheon until 3:30 PM in Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead, MN.  

The burial will take place at a later date in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.

(Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead, MN)