Thomas Osiol Obituary

Missing Tom as I see this and remember. He was a good man. We miss him on the ice and his very, let's say in a good way, suspicious sense of humor. Perfect for a hockey referee.

Bill Green

Just wanted to check in say that Tom is still and always will be part of our officiating community.
Bill Green, IHOA past president and IHHOF member. Tom was part of my HOF speech last month.

Oh Kris, I am so sorry. I just learned about Tom. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love, Jenny Sperandeo (Schmitz)

Dear Kris,
You have our very deepest sympathy for your loss!
Greg & Sandy

Our deepest sympathy for your loss. We were shocked to hear about Tom. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Dave and Barb Watt (Bolingbrook, IL)

I just learned of Tom's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with Tom's family and friends. I worked with Tom in the 80's at AIREA. He was such a kind and funny man and will be dearly missed.

My deepest and sincerest condolences to Tom's entire family. I worked with Tom for 13 years at the Appraisal Institute and shared some recreational times with him since then. I was stunned when I learned what happened and regretted I was unable to return in time to honor him and say goodbye. His persona and stories will be sorely missed. Life is indeed too short.

I will remember Tom as my hockey referee mentor. I got to know Tom through refereeing over the past 20 years. He was a major reason I kept in officiating. He made the games we officiated together very enjoyable and still kept the players safety in perspective. Tom was a pillar in regards to USA Hockey officiating. He will be sorely missed for all he has done in and out of hockey.

Dear family:

I worked at the Appraisal Institute with Tom for almost 7 years, and feel extremely honored that I was given the chance to know him. Tom was kind, caring, always made me laugh, and always offered an ear when it was needed. He had the wonderful ability to put people at ease, and, always reminded us that the small stuff wasn't worth sweating. When my father passed away and I was at a loss about household repairs, he always gave me advice, which I so appreciated.

Tom was a wonderful man, and I so appreciate having had the chance to know him. I am so very sorry for your loss, and offer my condolences and sympathy.

I worked with tom for 17 years - he was a wonderful friend and he will be deeply missed - I have so many happy memories of AI because of his humor and friendship - My deepest sympathy

Dear friends and family:

I worked with Tom at the Appraisal Institute for a time. He had the greatest sense of humor, with a dry, intelligent wit that would leave you laughing. He was professional,polite, and willing to help wherever he could. Im so sorry for your loss, and offer my condolences and sympathy and comfort.

Dear Kathy:

I only met your Dad once or twice, but he seemed like a really great guy. I know you spoke well of him often during our time together at Millikin.

I'll never forget the hockey pucks in our freezer!

Wishing you and your family peace,

Emily Rhodes

Tom worked with my sister at AI. She always talked about (as I heard it) Tom and some guy named Tito. I finally got to meet Tom in Seattle a few while back, and she said this is Tito. I asked why, if his name was Tom, they called him Tito. Turns out it was TO. From then on, it was a standing joke. I did not get to spend much time with Tom, but he was a great friend to my sister. He will be missed much by her, and I will miss hearing all of the stories. My heart goes out to his family and all of his friends.

what a great man...
with sympathy

Tom was a special guy. No matter what you asked him or how you challenged him he always had a way of making you forget what was wrong or needed fixing and just smile. I'm glad to have known him even though most of our communication was over the phone. Whenever I came to Chicago for meetings, seeing Tom made me feel so welcome. He was the AI ambassador! Debra Miller, Metro New Jersey Chapter

My deepest sympathy to the Osiol Family. I remember Tommy from our grammer school days at Holy Innocents, in Chicago.
Tommy, Al KALETA AND I, there at the same time. The names bring back alot of old memories of those good old days.
Once again, my deepest sympathy.

Bob Kramer, Machesney Park,Ill,

Dear Kris,
Our deepest sympathies for your unexpected loss. Know that we are sharing in your sorrow and lifting you and your family up in prayer. May you feel God's comfort and grace all around you.

I had the fortune of working with Tom at the Appraisal Institute for many years - first as a chapter executive and then as a colleague on the national staff.

Tom always maintained a positive attitude in everything he did for the Appraisal Institute. I will miss his sunny disposition and and thankful for the time I was able to work with him.

He will be greatly missed.

I had the fortune of working with Tom at the Appraisal Institute for many years - first as a chapter executive and then as a colleague on the national staff.

Tom always maintained a positive attitude in everything he did for the Appraisal Institute. I will miss his sunny disposition and and thankful for the time I was able to work with him.

He will be greatly missed.

Dear Kathy,

Marc told me about your father and I just wanted you to know how sorry I am for your loss. It is hard to understand the logic when we lose someone so close to us. In reading through the many messages left by family and friends, I can see how deeply loved your dad was and how special he must have been. Only time can heal the heartache you and your family must feel. I am so sorry. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Peggy

I will remember Tom as a good friend and a great instructor. Those who teach others have a legacy. Tom's words and hockey wisdom will never be forgotten as those who learned from him will pass those skills on to others, who will then turn that knowledge to another and so on.

Dear Kris,
I was in shock when Wally called to tell me about "Osh". I am so sorry that he was taken so soon. We had so much fun growing up together. I am so glad we got together in our adult lives on special occasions. I wish we had spent more time together.

Tom was a great guy. I will always remember his classic phrase "you are off the wall". He loved saying that when we were kids. I will cherish the memories of our football games, skoosh and ice skating in Eckert Park. It is so surreal that he and Doug are gone. My memories of Tom, Doug, Dennis, Wally, Kurt, Bruce and myself
playing ball together on Superior street always bring a smile to my heart. We had so much fun together. I always liked Tom on my side when we played football because then I didn't have to throw the ball so high to keep it away from him when he wasn't on our side because he was the tallest of all of us.

Tom was always smiling and never got mad about losing. He just was an all around nice guy who loved to have fun.

I am so sorry for you loss Kris. I can't imagine the saddness in your heart.
You and Tom will be in our thoughts and prayers. If you ever need anything, please know we will be there for you.
Love
Vicky

In coelo quies est - In Heaven There is Rest.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire OSIOL family. The hockey community has lost a great official and true ambassador of the game. To teach and officiate with Tom was an honor. As John Ross stated…..”Tom Osiol was deserving of a lifetime Conn Smythe Trophy. He was an MVP…”
GODSPEED Tom you are going to be missed!

Bill Fehrman and Family

TO family members and many friends, of "Osiol",

Kris, I had the greatest pleasure knowing your husband and best friend, as a kid in the old neighborhood.

I'm a cousin of Bruce and Mike, brother of Ron and Toni, and grew up on the asphalt of Superior St., with Tommy and Bruce and Dennis and Doug and Joey and Tony and Michael and everybody else from the area.

I'm truly heartbroken when informed of Tommy's passing, as memories of my youth come to mind, and remember him as the stanchion of the group, always funny, but never a mean streak, and would offer advice to a young kid growing up.

I extend my deepest condolences, as your husband was a pillar early in my life, and a friend to me and many of my family and friends. I always considered him an extension of my cousin Bruce, either an arm, or at the hip. They were always together, and in that way I shall always cherish his memories.

He was a part of the family, looked up to as an older friend, and provided guidance and advice to the 'kids' in the neighborhood.

My prayers are with him, and my blessings and wishes for you and the family.

Tommy was well liked and much loved, and I hope you well in these times of sorrows, and pray that the memories never fade, and the grand days you spent together remain forever.

God Bless

My deepest sympathy to the Osiol family and the passing of Tommy. Our paths crossed in our youth and extended to our adult lives, lives that eventually ventured down separate highways. Separation by miles changes neither friendship nor the memories of good times with good friends. Separation and death, as in life, does not mean the end but the beginning of lasting memories of relatives and friends like Tommy. We last spoke in April and promised to get together soon and raise a kamikaze to old times---To you my friend I raise a kamikaze to your final and eternal journey. Thanks. Johnny Knapp, Murrieta Califoirna.

Kathy,
My heartfelt sympathy to you and the Osiol family for your loss.

Farewell Tom. You were one of my favorite on-ice partners. I always enjoyed officiating hockey games with you and working the "clinics" as we called them back in the day. In the days before on-line scheduling, I was always glad when I arrived at the rink to find that you were my partner.

Tom had a great and lasting influence on the people who worked with him. Whether an assist (helping out wherever needed), a goal (carrying out a program effectively) or a check (letting you know what he thought), Tom Osiol was deserving of a lifetime Conn Smythe trophy. He was an MVP as a colleague. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, co-workers and friends.

June 13,2010

People say that when we die our whole life flashes before our eyes. Well I can tell you the
same thing happens when one of your best friends dies.

When my wife woke me Sunday morning and told me Osh had a heart attack. I froze. But what
went
through my mind was that he was in the hospital. Crying she said, "He's gone".

I couldn't believe it. Like it was all a cruel joke. But it wasn't.

I sat in a chair, in a daze. Through my head went some of the great times we had together.

And as I recalled my good times with Osh to my son Michael I remembered just how often
everytime I started to tell a story about my youth it usually started with an "Osh and I".

We had a lifetime of friendship. And a lifetime of good times. We had fun.

I met "Osh" as we all called him when I was in elementary school at Holy Innocents.

I don't know exactly when or what grade we were in when we became friends, but I'm
sure a ball was involved.

We always got together to play baseball either at lunch break or after school or on the
weekends.

Lunch time was a special time for us because we played kick-ball. The seventh grade
team played the eigth grade team each afternoon on the street at Bishop and Superior.
When the lunch bell rang we sprinted home, ate, and rushed back so we could get in a
full game.

The game was similar to baseball, but we used a rubber baseball purchased at
the candy store and the pitcher rolled it to the batter who kicked it.

Sewer covers acted as our bases and pitching mound and the ground rules were
as tricky as Wrigley Field.

Osh was one of the better players and he always played first base because he
had great hands and could catch anything.

For us the season determined what sport we played.

In the fall we played football in the street. In summer we played baseball or
softball. And in the late fall it was street hockey on the school yard.

Learning to skate was our goal and we knew the only way to get better was practice.
In the winter months we would rub our feet with Vicks and wrap them in plastic bags
to keep them warm as spent hours in the park skating on the frozen field. Waste
baskets or chunks of snow acted as our goal.

As we got into our teens we were able to form a team and play at Ranibo
Arena. We just had fun.

Whenever we had a chance we would rent ice time in the middle of the night just to get a chance to play.
Each guy would chip-in. It would be Franklin Park one night. and Evanston another, usually
our finances and cars could only get us to rent Rainbo about 3 a.m.

During that time he became a devoted Montreal Canadiens fan and for a while
he even converted me.

It probably was around that time in the late 60's that he came up with the Howie Morenz
story.

Now Howie Morenz was a real player and one of the most beloved players of
the Montreal Canadians throughout his 14 seasons in the NHL.

Morenz died on March 8, 1937 from complications of a broken leg, an injury he recieved
in a game.

Morenz was so loved by the Canadian fans, that when he died his wake was held on the
ice of the Montreal Forum. Fifty thousand people filed past his casket in center ice. He
was 34 years old.

Now that part of the story is all true. But Osh added a twist to it telling people that
Morenz was buried under center ice in the Forum and when you skated over center
ice there was a little bump where Morenz was buried.

I would stand there as he told someone the story; and when he finished, I ....of course,
corroborated every word,

In 1969 we had one of our greatest summers. We got a job working for Automatic
Electric in Northlake and went to work together everyday. But 1969 was the year the Cubs
made a drive for the pennant and we wanted to be a part of it. So when the Cubs were in
town for a crucial series I would pick him about 4 a.m. and with a blanket over our shoulders
we headed for Wrigley Field to sleep on the sidewalk outside of the bleachers box office.

"All I need is a buck," Osh would say. That's what a bleacher seat cost then.

The box office would open and once we got our tickets we raced for a seat at the
left fiedl wall. Throughout that summer we became members of the Left Field
Bleacher Bums. Our summer job was just to finance our baseball summer.

In the late days of the season the Cubs were eliminated, but in a final salute
to the Cubs we went over the wall and ran across the field. There were so many of
us security couldn't stop us and we wound up dancing on the roof of the Cubs
dugout. We just had fun.

Osh went on to work for the Real Estate Appraisal Institute and I continued in college.
We would meet to play raquetball at night or 16 inch softball on Sunday mornings.

And yes we drank a little beer now and then just to replenish our fluids.

As we got older our lives became more complicated. Osh got married to Kris.
Jennifer was born, but we still spent time together at their apartment on
Superior St.

When he moved to Bollingbrook it made it harder to see him and Kris on a
regular basis, but we would make the trip when we could. We always had fun.


As more kids came along for both of us, we just got busy being parents and
providers. But our friendship never faltered. He and Kris were always there
for us should we need them.

Email became our method of communication over the last few years. But we
called each other for special occaisions.

His 60th birthday party at the White Eagle in February made me realize
how much I missed my friend. We sat together and talked about old
times and laughed through the entire dinner. We just had fun.


We kept in touch through texting over these last few weeks during the
Stanley Cup playoffs. His beloved Canadiens were finally in the playoffs
and he---- the ever optomistic Canadien fan thought they would play the Blackhawks
in the finals. I also remember getting an email from him about his grandson being
in the Montreal Gazette wearing a Canadian shirt. Osh couldn't be happier.

Throughout a lifetime we meet hundreds of people But only a few we can
call a friend

. And fewer we can call a true friend.

My true friend may be gone but he will always live in my heart.

Save a place for me on the bench Osh.


Love always,
Al Kaleta

Dear Kris,
Gary and I were so shocked to hear of Tom's sudden passing.
I can only imagine how great is your feeling of loss.
We pray God surrounds you and your family with the comfort of His love and peace at this time and in the days to come.

With our sincere sympathy,
Gary and Bobbie Eby

Dear Chris and Family, I worked with Tom since Oct 1988. He was the best boss anyone could ever ask for. His smiling face and funny wits will surely be missed. Love and prayers to your family.
Vickie Brown (Munster, Indiana)

To Tom's friends and family,
I had the great pleasure to work for Tom for a couple of years at AI. I was just thinking about him this past weekend and what his thoughts must be with the Stanley Cup in Chicago as we had many a conversation about hockey. He inspired me on many levels. He will be missed!

Kris our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family we will always cherish the fond memories we have shared over the past years from the trips to Wisconsin to the parties at your house.

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Tom Osiol. I knew Tom when I worked at Appraisal Institute where I was there for 20 years. Tom had a wicked since of humor and I always enjoyed talking to him about hockey. I was a Blackhawks fan as a teen and we talked about the passing of Keith Magnuson. He always talked about his children which he was extremely proud of. I will miss seeing him when I come to visit AI. Gail Ball (Chicago, IL)

Dear Chris and Family,

I have known and worked with Tom for 17 years. We will miss him sorely. He went about his business quietly with a smile on his face for everyone. Our team will be less without him. I will always remember him talking about the children and grandchildren. Tom had a lot of love for everyone. Please know you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

To family and friends, my deepest sympathy and condolences. Tom was a co-worker who provided invaluable knoweledge to me when i started at the Appraisal Institute two and a half years ago. He was my go to guy for any information I needed to get a project completed. He was so knowledgable and forthright with this knowledge that you knew you were on the right path. 4 out of 5 days a week, I would have to stop by his office to chat about the real things (Cubs & Hockey). Tom was so inviting and friendly that I grew to expect to talk cubs or hockey with him every Monday. He will be missed geatly, But the 2 years we chatted will always be in my memeries as an enjoyable times with a guy who was so positive, happy, funny and overall a grear guy!!

Virgil Nettles, Chicago, Illinois.

My deepest sympathy. I knew Tom through the Oldfield Townhome Owners Association. Your loss is shared by all who knew him and who's lives he touched.

Our hearts go out to Tom's entire family. His intelligence, smile, sardonic sense of humor and love of life made being a friend of Osh's a true privilege. He was too young to be called and will be missed.

Dear family members and friends, I was a co-worker of Tom’s. He always had a big smile on his face, and was always in a good mood, and had a great attitude. He always treated others with the utmost respect, and he always strived to do his very best in his work. I will miss him. I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy for your loss.

Tom was one of the first people I met when I started to work at AIREA back in 1984. And he was the first person to welcome me back when I went to work at AI in the 90's. I can't imagine how crazy he must have been this spring with the Habs playing the way they did in the playoffs!! My thoughts and prayers are with the family. He will be missed by all of us. Jim Jones (Downers Grove, IL)

Kristine
We are so sorry to hear about Tom. Please let us know if we can do anything to help you out in this trying time.

Jim and Tina Blumenstein

I extend my sincere sympathy to the entire Osiol family on the loss of a dear husband, father and grandfather. I will always remember Tom's wonderful sense of humor and dry wit. May you all be comforted by your fond memories of a wonferul man.

My thoughts and prayers are with Tom's family and friends. I was so shocked to hear the news. I will forever miss Tom's incredible sense of humor and larger than life personality. He never failed to get a laugh out of me. Rest easy, Tom. "CB"