Thomas A. Zupanc passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2015, of mantel cell lymphoma. He is survived by his beloved wife Mary Therese (Beckers) Zupanc and their three children Elizabeth (Chris Reiff) of Milwaukee, Michelle of Baltimore, and Michael of Minneapolis. He is also survived by his sister Dr. Mary Zupanc (David Jones) and brother John Zupanc (Deb Vercauteren).
Thomas was born in Duluth, Minnesota on June 28, 1955. His family moved to Monroe, Wisconsin and he attended Monroe High School until graduation in 1973. He was very surprised and proud to have wrestled to 5th place in the state high school tournament at 98 pounds as a senior. The team won the unified state tournament that year, competing against all other schools in the state. He went on to receive his BA degree in English from UW-Madison in 1977. During the college summers off, he drove dump trucks and other heavy equipment for the Green County Highway Department in Monroe, Wisconsin. He survived a dump truck crash at the bottom of a steep hill on County Road N just north of the Limburger cheese factory. He also worked one summer in Madison, Wisconsin painting a Holiday Inn adjacent to East Town Shopping Center. After graduation from UW-Madison, he worked outdoors at a Lumber Mill in Polar, Wisconsin from January through March 1978. Soon after, he enrolled in Hamline University School of Law. He made Dean's List and sporadically worked for the Hamline Law Review. After graduating in 1981 he enrolled in the Master's of Taxation program at George Washington University in Washington D.C. where he graduated with Highest Honors in 1982. Upon graduation, he joined the law firm of Burns, Burns, and Zupanc in St. Cloud.
In 1991, Thomas started a solo law practice. Despite the lifetime memories and stories from 18 years of law practice, he applied for and obtained a tenure track position teaching Business Law as well as Taxation at St. Cloud State University starting August 2000. It was his dream job.
He met his best friend and future bride Mary after having lost his glasses in Pearl Lake during the time she worked as an optician. Thomas deeply loved Mary and the two married on October 19, 1985. They remained happily married until his death. The two were best friends and perfectly complemented each other. Their greatest joy was their children.
Mary and Thomas involved themselves in church and community activities. Thomas was a long-time member of St. Cloud Area Sertoma Club, and was at various times an ATF Licensed Pyrotechnician, a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, a Skywarn Trained Weather Spotter, a Cloudy Town Brewers club member, and a volunteer at Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf. Thomas strongly believed in voluntary personal service to those in need.
A memorial service will be held for family, friends, and acquaintances at Saint John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud on Friday, February 6, 2015. There will be a social gathering at 5 p.m. followed by a service at 6. The evening will continue with a reception until 9 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Cloud Sertoma Club, the SCSU Foundation, Quiet Oaks, Anna Marie's, or Catholic Charities Emergency Services.
Thomas was born in Duluth, Minnesota on June 28, 1955. His family moved to Monroe, Wisconsin and he attended Monroe High School until graduation in 1973. He was very surprised and proud to have wrestled to 5th place in the state high school tournament at 98 pounds as a senior. The team won the unified state tournament that year, competing against all other schools in the state. He went on to receive his BA degree in English from UW-Madison in 1977. During the college summers off, he drove dump trucks and other heavy equipment for the Green County Highway Department in Monroe, Wisconsin. He survived a dump truck crash at the bottom of a steep hill on County Road N just north of the Limburger cheese factory. He also worked one summer in Madison, Wisconsin painting a Holiday Inn adjacent to East Town Shopping Center. After graduation from UW-Madison, he worked outdoors at a Lumber Mill in Polar, Wisconsin from January through March 1978. Soon after, he enrolled in Hamline University School of Law. He made Dean's List and sporadically worked for the Hamline Law Review. After graduating in 1981 he enrolled in the Master's of Taxation program at George Washington University in Washington D.C. where he graduated with Highest Honors in 1982. Upon graduation, he joined the law firm of Burns, Burns, and Zupanc in St. Cloud.
In 1991, Thomas started a solo law practice. Despite the lifetime memories and stories from 18 years of law practice, he applied for and obtained a tenure track position teaching Business Law as well as Taxation at St. Cloud State University starting August 2000. It was his dream job.
He met his best friend and future bride Mary after having lost his glasses in Pearl Lake during the time she worked as an optician. Thomas deeply loved Mary and the two married on October 19, 1985. They remained happily married until his death. The two were best friends and perfectly complemented each other. Their greatest joy was their children.
Mary and Thomas involved themselves in church and community activities. Thomas was a long-time member of St. Cloud Area Sertoma Club, and was at various times an ATF Licensed Pyrotechnician, a BJCP Certified Beer Judge, a Skywarn Trained Weather Spotter, a Cloudy Town Brewers club member, and a volunteer at Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf. Thomas strongly believed in voluntary personal service to those in need.
A memorial service will be held for family, friends, and acquaintances at Saint John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud on Friday, February 6, 2015. There will be a social gathering at 5 p.m. followed by a service at 6. The evening will continue with a reception until 9 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Cloud Sertoma Club, the SCSU Foundation, Quiet Oaks, Anna Marie's, or Catholic Charities Emergency Services.