Thomas E. Mathias

Thomas Edwin Mathias, age 74, of Houlton, WI, passed away on November 27th, 2023 at his home in Houlton, WI surrounded by family, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Tom was born on November 5th, 1949 in St, Paul, MN to Edwin Rueben and Marcella Gladys (Anderson) Mathias. Along with his seven siblings, he grew up in South St. Paul and attended South St. Paul High School. At age 17, he was drafted into the United States Army, where he was deployed in a MASH unit in Germany, proudly serving until his honorable discharge in 1971.

Upon his return, he began working for his father’s Tool and Die business, Mathias Die, a company he would later own and operate. As a business owner, he had an incredibly analytical, ambitious, and intelligent mind – always pioneering, motivating, and persevering through adversity.

He was united in marriage to his wife, Kellie Jolene Dick Hansen on June 2nd, 1990 and together they raised their blended family of seven…his, hers and theirs. In his free time, Tom was an avid sailor, enjoying time spent on the water with his family and friends. Most important to him was his family. Tom was a passionate, honorable, and protective husband; a loving, pragmatic, and warm father; and tenderhearted, caring, and consistent grandfather. He was the true patriarch of their family, cherishing every moment spent with those that he loved most. Tom was an incredibly faithful and devout Christian man, a belief that he passed on to his family. Tom loved his fishing trips to Canada and spending the winter months in Hawaii with Kellie and all their friends there.  He was fond of sharing jokes and his enigmatic smile with this grandchildren, despite at times their jokes falling flat on his humor scale, and vice versa. He was a true beacon of equanimity, love, and loyalty – a man that will be forever loved and always missed.

He is survived by his wife Kellie; children: Thomas, Jennifer, Matthew (Fiancée Kelly), Luke, Alaina (Daniel) Kraft, Phillip (Ashley) Hansen, and Laura (Matthew) Bignell; grandchildren: Kasey, Madison, Amaya, Thomas, Aubrey, Kylie, Tyler, Chase, Memphis, Elijah, Leland, Mason, James, Alexa, Braden, and Callie; great-grandchildren: Killian, Livianna, and Lillianna; siblings: Patricia (Al) Madetzke, Debra (Steve) Toft, Greg (Janis) Mathias, Diane (Scott) Hershey, Jackie (Tim Randall) Mathias, Kim (Will) Tanfield; along with many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Lawrence Mathias.

A private family service for Tom will be held at St. Lucas Community Church in Lake Elmo, MN. A public Celebration of Life will be held in June 2024. Please visit back for more updated details in the spring.