John Thoemke

John Tyson Thoemke

Age 84 Husband, Father, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, Union Electrician September 2, 2024 John Tyson Thoemke died with loved ones by his side on Monday, September 2, 2024. A family man, devout Catholic, and union organizer, he died on Labor Day, the eve of what was to be his and Mary's 64th wedding anniversary.

John is survived by his wife, Mary Frances (Dannecker) Thoemke; his 15 children, and their families. His children, John D. and Cheryl Thoemke, Barbara Thoemke, Michelle Thoemke (Tom Cooper), Chris Thoemke (Darcy Darrah), Angela and Roger van der Puije, Tom Thoemke and Amy Brockman, Kara Thoemke, Steve and Diane Thoemke, Elizabeth and John Stansky, Rebecca McClure and Andrew Merz, Laura Thoemke, Nick and Sarah Thoemke, Joe Thoemke, Dominic Thoemke, Catherine Thoemke (Truman Olson); his grandchildren (and great-grandchildren), Christine and Scott Fitzpatrick (Kai Thoemke-Hart, Ziggy Fitzpatrick), Mary and Marty McCabe (Eloise and August), Claire and Robert Kennedy (Catherine), Aspen Cooper, Autumn Cooper, Dylan and Katrina Thoemke, Tessa Erickson-Thoemke, Jakob Erickson-Thoemke, Isaac Erickson-Thoemke, Rita van der Puije, Kofi van der Puije, Tyler Meyer, Felix Meyer, Ezra Hoon, Joey Hoon, Logan Anderson, Siiri Anderson, Damon Thoemke, Peyton Thoemke, Luke Stansky, Owen Stansky, Kayleigh and Taylor Lawrence (Emelia and Noah), Gracelyn McClure, Madeline Merz, Grace Merz, Marshall Merz, Jackson Thoemke, Tyler Thoemke, and Cash Thoemke; he is also survived by his sister Phyllis Webb; brothers Peter Thoemke and Joe (Jana) Thoemke; sisters-in-law Alice Kelly, Jane Eschenbacher, Peggy Doyle; brother-in-law Ed (Sue) Dannecker; and nieces and nephews too numerous to count.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, David Thoemke, Paul Thoemke, and Mark Temke; his sisters Kathleen Murphy and Sylvia Dannecker; and brothers-in-law Mike Kelly and John Eschenbacher.

John was born March 23, 1940, to Tyson and Phyllis (Szalapski) Thoemke, in Saint Paul, MN. He attended high school at Cretin High School in Saint Paul and La Salle Institute in Glencoe, MO. In his high school years he worked at Dannecker's Grocery, where he began the courtship of his bride Mary, the grocer's eldest daughter. He graduated from Saint Paul Technical Vocational Institute (later Saint Paul College). His affiliation with Saint Paul College continued throughout adulthood as an alumni, advocate, and Foundation President. While still a young man, and with Mary at home with five young children, John had the opportunity of a lifetime. He was awarded a Bush Fellowship in 1969, providing for him to study union leadership at the Harvard Trade Union Program. This experience was the catalyst for a lifelong vocation as an organizer.

An active and dedicated member of IBEW Local Union 110 in Saint Paul, MN, he served in every way that he could: as a commercial electrician, as business manager, and as president. He was active in DFL politics and in later years, Paul Wellstone's credo "We all do better when we all do better" resonated for him in all that he had done and what he still set out to do. His passion for community organization and leadership was illustrated by the vast array of programs he served: Young Democrats, President of the St Paul Trades and Labor Assembly, North End Community Organization, North End Community Foundation, District 6 Planning Council, Rice Street Athletic Club, member of the Saint Paul School Board, and more.

John's strong faith and desire to serve drew him to others who had a willingness to serve. He was relentless in his passion to improve our community. In recent years, John learned to live with Parkinson's disease, and worked hard at overcoming the toll it took on his mind and body. Mary cared for him at home until it was time to enter the Lyngblomsten Care Center in Saint Paul.

The family is grateful for the kind and attentive care John received. In the end, after a lifetime of working hard at everything he did, he took his leave, to finally rest in God's comforting arms.

Mass of Christian Burial for John Tyson Thoemke will be held on Saturday, September 14, at 11:00 AM at Church of St. Bernard (187 Geranium Ave. W, Saint Paul, MN) with visitation an hour prior.

A luncheon will follow services at Ideal Hall (1494 Dale St N, St Paul).

Interment at Calvary Cemetery following luncheon.

Memorials to Saint Bernard's Church (https://stbernardstpaul.org/) or North End Community Foundation (https://www.givemn.org/donate/North-End-Community-Foundation-1)

Footprints:

 One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

 When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. 

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it: “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.” 

The Lord replied: “My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”