Thomas J. Leisch, 81, Oconto, passed away June 16, 2026, at home surrounded by family after a short illness.
Tom was born Feb. 8, 1945, along with his identical twin brother Bill in Lena, the son of Ralph and Florella (Huncosky) Leisch.
He attended Kelly Brook and Oconto Falls schools, graduating with the class of 1963.
He married Sandy Bickel on July 31, 1965, and they were going to celebrate 61 years of being together.
Tom enjoyed gardening and farming especially with his nephew, Chad Denowski, on the Golden Ridge Dairy Farm. He loved canning everything he raised in his garden his favorite being dill pickles. He was an excellent welder and could fix anything. He worked at many different jobs including the Oconto Brewery and Northwest Engineering until they closed. Then he went on to work at Midcentral Tool and Neroco.
He became a millwright in 1989 with Local 1056 and loved travelling not only for his job but taking camping family vacations every summer. He worked in many different paper mills and nuclear plants until his retirement. While still working as a millwright, he worked at Whispering Pines Tree Farm cranking up his old John Deere and giving wagon rides to customers. At that same time, he thought it would be fun to own and drive a dump truck, he did that until he said it wasn’t fun anymore, probably about seven years.
A few years ago, he purchased his “happy place” at the South Shore Trailer Park, Chute Pond. He and his family made many new and lasting friends there. He also enjoyed camping with his granddaughters, Olivia and Reese Kryger, niece Marissa Axtell and her children, Lexi and Abby.
Tom is survived by his wife, Sandy; three children, Jamie, Tina (Chad) Kryger and Jason (Kelly); grandchildren, Spencer and Addison Leisch, Nelton de Leon Bran, and Olivia and Reese Kryger; sisters, Karen MacLeish, Chicago, and Linda Leisch, Austin, Texas; brother, Michael (Penny) Leisch, Austin, Texas; sisters-in-law Sandy Leisch, Mary Leisch, Dawn Mastejko, Angela (Dale) Monnette, Caroly Uhl and Sheila (David) Denowski; brothers-in-law, Jim Hertwig, Chris (Karen) Bickel and Nick (Jeanie) Bickel; and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Florella; in-laws, Gordon and Loraine Bickel; brothers, Vernon and twin Bill; sister, Marilynn; brothers-in-law, John Mastejko and Terry Uhl; nephew, Adam Hertwi; and niece Sharon Davidson.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held at Romy’s Holiday Inn, Kelly Lake, Thursday, June 25, 2026, from 4-6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please donate to Unity Hospice of Northeast Wisconsin.
Special thanks to Dr. Rebecca and Jeanie Young, also Madison and her team from Unity Hospice.
