Thomas J. McGrath
Thomas J. McGrath passed away Oct. 23, at Hospice Alliance House in Pleasant Prairie.
Tom was born Sept. 28, 1934, in Prairie du Chien, to Thomas P. and Ruth Marie (Smrcina) McGrath. After graduating from high school in Prairie du Chien, Tom enlisted and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force, where he was awarded the National Defense Service medal. Tom settled down in California, where he worked as an iron worker until his retirement. Tom was well-known for his physical strength, his strong work ethic and his wonderful sense of humor and story telling. He was an avid fisherman and loved doing jigsaw puzzles and gambling in his later years.
He is preceded in death by his wife Barbara (Patterson) on May 2003 and his sister Mary Kemna. Tom is survived by daughters Kathleen (Bruce) Hill and Kelly (Joseph) Bilotti; brothers George (Lola) and John; sisters Pat, Margaret (Michael) Boll and Ruth (Jim) Ridgeway; and three grandchildren Erin (Victor) O’Connell, Marcus Bilotti and Joey Bilotti.