Obituary: John JT L. Thomson

John JT L. Thomson, 68, of Sturgeon Bay, died March 26, 2018 at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay with family at his side.

He was born Sept. 1, 1949 in Rangely, CO, the son of the late George and Hattie (Sterling) Thomson. His mother passed while John was very young, and he and his father moved to Racine. After his father passed (not many years following the move), John was sent to foster care for a few years until his aunt and uncle, Pirce and Eleanor Elkholm brought him into their home. John graduated from Shorewood High School in 1968. He served his country with the United States Army in Vietnam from 1969 to 1972.

On October 4, 2003, he married Cindy Lee (Vrooman) Hartl in Montello.

John was a service technician for various Independent Ford dealers for 37 years. He had worked for Schmitt Ford in Thiensville, then was recruited to Gagne Ford in Algoma, Nelson Team (then Witt Ford, now Jim Olson Motors) in Sturgeon Bay where he retired as Service Advisor on March 19, 2018.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Cindy; mother-in-law, Frances Milbach; sister-in-law, Kris (Fox) Wilz; brothers-in-law, John (Mary) Engerson and Bill (Steph) Engerson; very special niece, Hannah (friend, Grant Wainio) Wilz; Missy Nelson, who he called “his little girl”; many nieces and nephews; and his many many friends he thought of as family.

John was preceded in death by his parents, George and Hattie Thomson; and aunt and uncle who raised him, Pirce and Eleanor Ekholm.

His family will celebrate his life with friends on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at Waterfront Mary’s, 3662 N. Duluth Ave., Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Memorials may be given in John’s name for the Wisconsin Humane Society-Door County Campus.

Huehns Funeral Home Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC are assisting the Thomson family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of John may be shared with his family through his tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.