On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Tom passed away peacefully at the VA Hospital in Helena, MT after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 73.
Tom was born in Pittsfield, MA on February 24, 1951, the first of four children to Edward Ignatius and Tessie Margaret Borsuk. Tom spent his childhood in the Pittsfield-Dalton area of Berkshire County in Massachusetts.
Tom was an avid collector. He started in grade school with coin collecting and expanded as he reached adulthood into collecting stamps, license plates, and Popular Mechanics magazines.
In high school, Tom was active in the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He also participated in cross country running, track & field, and played both the clarinet and trumpet. He loved to draw and created a series of cartoons about a group of lumberjacks. The Boston Red Sox was his favorite sports team. If they were playing, he would be listening to the game on the radio.
After graduating from Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton, MA, he attended St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake, MI studying theology and Polish. Tom embraced his Polish heritage. He played the accordion in college with a Polish band. In later years, he loved to share Polish language, history and traditions with the younger generations in the family.
In 1975, he enlisted in the Navy and was stationed out of Norfolk, VA on a supply ship in the Mediterranean. He had several opportunities to tour Italy, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries. He studied drafting and mechanical drawing after his service in the Navy and finished out his working career with the U.S. Postal Service in Colonial Heights, VA. After retiring, Tom moved to Alpena, MI and eventually found his way out west to Helena, MT.
Tom was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church. His life was a testimony to his love for God and his love for family. Tom is survived by his brother James M. Borsuk ( Jerrianne), sisters Mary Schmiel Borsuk ( Harold A. Schmiel) and Rosemary Best, and many beloved nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
A funeral mass at SS Cyril in East Helena will be held on Monday, August 5 at Noon with a reception in the social hall following the Service. Tom will then be laid to rest at a graveside service the same day at the Montana State Veteran Cemetery at 3:00 PM.
Service Schedule
Funeral Mass
Noon
Monday August 5, 2024
SS Cyril & Methodius Church
120 W Riggs St
East Helena,
Graveside Service
3:00 PM
Monday August 5, 2024
Montana State Veterans Cemetery
3550 Heroes Rd
Helena West Side, MT
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Rev Michael Twardzik says
To Tom’s Family,
Every Christmas Tom kept up the most welcome “tradition” of sending a card with script needing a magnifying glass, especially as the decades past. However small the print, his cards were bridges linking many memories and places where those memories were made.
I shall say Mass for the repose of his soul. Apologies for the delay in responding to your call, Jim. Have been in Strong Hospital, Rochester for cancer myself. Please pray for my health. +God bless Tom’s entire family.
Fr. David J Lis says
Tom was my roommate at St. Mary’s College our senior year. He was always a true gentleman and I will always honor with fondness his friendship. He instilled in me a deep appreciation for “Spike Jones and His Band’! We laughed a lot listening to those comedy recordings on 78 RPM records. He was the official artist for the “72 REPORTER” our classes official newspaper, while I was its editor.
We had a lot of good times together. May God grant Him, “Blessed Repose, and may his memory be Eternal!”
Archpriest David J Lis, Orthodox Church in America
Bob Wondolowski says
I have many fond memories of Tom…beating him (very unexpectedly!) in a race around Orchard Lake when he got side stitches…his visit to me in Rome when I was studying there and he was in the navy…his visit to me in Uxbridge MA…kidding about (Fr.) Peszko(wski) and his “ping ping ping”…doing a comedy routine with bad puns in English Class…I was excited when he (finally) got a computer and sent me his email address…Tom was always kind and friendly and lived a simple life style…may he Rest in Peace…I love you brother…
Fr John Swencki says
Tom and I were college classmates. Everyone respected and loved Tom– down-to-earth, smart, funny, talented, loyal, caring. I will miss his Christmas cards, his exasperation about his computer, his joyful spirit. At the center of Tom’s life was his deep faith. Do zobaczenia, Tom. Thanks for your friendship. Thanks for everything.
Kevin Kaminski says
Not Christmas went by that I corresponded with Tom on a Polish Card. Still have the tapes of Tom playing the trumpet in our band “The Polish Minstrels.” We shared alot of similiar activities like Stamp Collecting and I even had what was leftof the Spike Jones work for me at one time. I visited him in NYC for fleet week when he was in the Navy. It will be a sad Christmas without his card. Kevin Kaminski (Stroudsburg PA)