After one last High Life happy hour, Tom DeLong’s courageous battle with Glioblastoma ended peacefully at home on January 18th, 2021, surrounded by loved ones. Norbert and Aldine DeLong really broke the mold when they brought Tom into the world. On August 23rd, 1962, Tom and his twin, Tammy, completed the family and joined siblings, Roxie, Ed, and Barb. Growing up in Inver Grove Heights, Tom, also known as “Woody” by some undignified associates, caused only minimal trouble with some of his lifelong friends “Lippy”, “Bubblehead”, “Flat Top”, “Geeman”, “Puff”, and Tipke, to name a few. One night out with friends at Duke’s on Concord Street changed Tom’s life forever when a beautiful blue-eyed blonde farm girl asked him to take her for a ride on his Harley. You know what they say-the rest was history. Tom knew Wendy was the one for him when she came by the DeLong house and Aldine saw Wendy waiting for Tom in the backyard petting the family’s dalmatian, Princess. Anyone else who tried to pet Princess may have walked away a few fingers short, so this was something special. Tom and Wendy married December 12th, 1987 at The Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas. He was a proud husband and father. Tom adored their three children, Crystal, Tina, and Zack, as much as he did Wendy. Anyone would be lucky to have a father like him. Tom instilled a strong work ethic in his children and many other “young lads” who looked up to him. He led by example working as a diesel mechanic for thirty some years for Industrial Services, Total Construction, and West Side Transport. If you know Tom, you know you could see a life time of hard work just by looking at his hands. Whether you’ve spent a lot of time around the guy, or just a little, his genuine love and pride for the honest life he made was always evident. His mannerisms and inappropriate humor were bar-none. Tom was the life of a party. He would tip back his head and unleash that fun-loving laugh that lit up a room. Don’t get me wrong, there were times he could clear out a room too-just ask Wendy. Tom was the kind of guy who would give you the Harley Davidson shirt off his back, as long as you don’t mind walking around with a lightly clothed gal on your shirt. He was everybody’s friend, and as long as you didn’t lean on any of his cars, his garage door was always open. You could find Tom in his garage “just donkin’ around”, wearing the tread off his shoes, or having an ice cold High Life with friends and family. He always said Wendy walked into a store and had to “touch, taste, and sniff everything”, but Tom liked to shop too. If you were ever looking for him at 6 AM on a Saturday, you could find him at Menards buying more sh*t he didn’t need. His home, yard, vehicles, toolbox, teeth, and mustache were always meticulously maintained. Tom never met a dog he didn’t like and always treated his dogs like royalty. Make sure to give Arlo some extra love because that’s what Tom would have wanted. When he wasn’t travelling the US with Wendy and his kids, Tom loved to ride his motorcycle, go camping, fishing, and deer hunting. He was a self-taught pit boss, and while at times he was liberal with spice and seasoning application, Tom was skilled in the art of grilling and smoking. He was a fine crustacean connoisseur and devoted carnivore through and through, always encouraging others to follow suit with a hearty, “eat lad”. Most importantly, he was a loving Grandpa to, Addie, Avery, James Thomas “JT”, Lucy, Charlie, and Maya. When he talked about them you could see a sparkle in his eye and he would get choked up telling you how much he “loved them silly”. His story should not be ending here and we are heartbroken that it has. Cancer sucks. We take comfort in knowing that he is in heaven with Jesus, surrounded by angels including his mom, dad, and many loved ones who welcomed him to eternal glory.
Please join us in choking down a few High Life’s to celebrate Tom’s life on Saturday, January 23rd, 2021 at 3:00pm at the Moose Lodge 1088 in Inver Grove Heights.
There will be a visitation from 9:00-11:00am on Monday, January 25th,2021 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, followed by a memorial service at 11:00am. For those who interested, the service will be live streamed at https://youtu.be/cupCksjA_e4.