Thomas J. Pesha

Tom J. Pesha, 90, of Grand Island died Friday, January 1, 2021, at Grand Island Regional Medical Center.



Services will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Donald Buhrman will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.



Visitation will begin at 9:00 AM Thursday at St. Leo’s Catholic Church. A rosary service will follow at 9:30 AM. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. Masks will be required and social distancing practiced.



Apfel Funeral Home is assisting the family.



Thomas Joseph Pesha was born September 16, 1930, at Fremont, NE to Jerry S. and Virginia M. (Widhelm) Pesha. He grew up and began his education at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Fremont. Tom and his brother Jerry later moved to Lexington where Tom continued his schooling graduating from Lexington High School in 1948.



Tom played football, basketball and baseball while in high school. Post high school he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers baseball team, but declined the offer to get married and join the U.S. Navy. While stationed in the Philippines, he played baseball for the Navy and had the honor of pitching a game that was played before the president of the Philippines. He was proud to have won that game





Tom was united in marriage to Lorrine “Rene” Hodges on August 30, 1951, at Lexington, NE. He served with the “Seabees” construction battalion in the Philippines while in the Navy. Following his military service, he attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.



Tom worked as a lineman for the Dawson Public Power District until 1960. He then went to work for Westinghouse selling electric utility equipment. Tom and Rene moved to Grand Island in 1962. From sales for Westinghouse, Tom was promoted to manager of electric utility sales.

In the late 1980’s he started his own business, Evit. The company produced electric vehicles which were used in various industries. He later sold the company and began to ease into retirement. Later in retirement, he enjoyed driving vehicles for Dinsdale and also for a Grand Island trucking company.



Tom was a member of St. Leo’s Catholic Church where he served as president of the finance board. He also served on the board of Riverside Golf Club and as president.



Survivors include his daughters and sons-in-law, Cyndy and Chris Schwensen of Salina, KS and Shannon and James Fitzgerald of Omaha; two sisters, Beth (Dean) Clemans of Doniphan NE and Charlene (Bill) Nott of Arapahoe, NE; grandchildren and their spouses, Pesha (Chance) Ptacek, Christianna (Scott) Peterson, Tommy Fitzgerald, Jessica Lawson, and Holly Fitzgerald; great-grandchildren, Brielle Ptacek, Tiernan Ptacek, Christian Peterson, Patrick Pesha Peterson, Carey Peterson and Callum O’Neill.



Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Rene Pesha in 2016; and brother, Jerry Pesha.



Online condolences may be left for the family at www.apfelfuneralhome.com