Thomas Quaal

Thomas M. Quaal, age 64, Rosholt, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Tekakwitha Living Center in Sisseton.

Funeral Services will be Friday, April 28, at 11:00 a.m. at Bethania Lutheran Church in Rosholt with Rev. Nancy Quatier officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Burial will be in the Bethania Cemetery, Rosholt. Active urn bearer will be Larry Lee.  Honorary urn bearers will be Jeff Graner, Duane Kiehl, Tom Wagner, Lonnie LeClair, and Ray LeClair.

The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page at 11:00 a.m. CDT.

Thomas Manfred Quaal was born August 19, 1958, to Kenneth and Gladys (Olson) Quaal in Breckenridge, MN. He graduated with the Class of '76 from Rosholt High School, where he was an accomplished athlete, especially in basketball and track. After graduating from high school, he went on to attend NDSCS and later Moorhead State College, where he graduated with a business degree. He then began his career working for Continental Nitrogen, and later for Airgas, where he became a top salesman and soon became a regional manager. Tom was a dedicated outdoorsman, especially enjoying his hunting trips to various places, including Africa. He caught many trophy fish and had numerous game animal mounts on display in his home.

Tom married Patricia Hansen on January 17, 1987. Tom and Patti were gourmet cooks, and they enjoyed preparing dinner together daily. Every year, Tom and Patti held fundraisers for the March of Dimes by hosting a wild game dinner at their home. These dinners became very popular and were soon auctioned off and raised significant amounts of money. Tom and Patti were also avid Golden Retriever lovers and shared their lives with Sherlock, Ben, and Rigel. Tom and many of his friends loved to come back to South Dakota and hunt ducks with his beloved dogs as the sun rose over Cottonwood Lake.

In July 2016, Tom sustained a fall in his home which caused a traumatic brain injury. Tom was no longer able to live alone, and eventually he moved to an assisted living facility called Folkstone, where he received extensive physical and occupational therapy. With a huge amount of hard work, Tom was eventually able to achieve his dream, which was to return to South Dakota and live independently and resume his hunting and fishing passions. He purchased a home west of Rosholt and was planning to move there, but he suffered a debilitating stroke which left him partially paralyzed. He was again unable to live alone and was moved to the Tekakwitha Living Center where he spent his remaining days under the care of the excellent staff there.

Tom is survived by his loving mother, Gladys Pearson of Rosholt; sister, Dr. Susan Quaal of Salt Lake City, UT; his aunts, Ruth Olson and Doris Pearson; his LeClair cousins, his Olson cousins, his Quaal cousins, and his Meyer cousins.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patti; his father, Kenneth; stepfather, Clifford Pearson; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Gladys and Susan express their deepest appreciation for all of the support from family and friends during Tom's long struggle with ill health.

Memorials may be sent to Rosholt High School, PO Box 106, Rosholt, SD, 57260 and Bethania Lutheran Church, 9 W. 1st St. Rosholt, SD, 57260, or a charity of your choice.

Tom will forever be remembered as a very kind, generous, loving person by those of us who loved him throughout his life. Blessed be his memory.