Thomas Frederick Breuch, 81, of Oak Park Heights, MN, and formerly of Maquoketa, IA, died January 5, 2023, at the University of Minnesota Hospital (Minneapolis) during emergency heart surgery.

Tom was born to Frederick and Bernice Breuch (Hoverson) in Madison, WI, on July 3, 1941. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1959 and majored in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating in 1963.

After being drafted, Tom immediately enlisted in order to join the Army Medical Corps, and he received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1965.  As an officer he was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, TX, and at the 58th Missile Defense Unit based at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis until receiving orders for Vietnam in 1966. There he served as a Medical Platoon Leader and Executive Officer of field hospitals at Long Binh and An Khe, Vietnam, from October, 1966 to October, 1967.  Upon return to the United States, he was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain in March of 1968.

Tom met Carol Shumate in Minneapolis in 1966. They were married August 17, 1968, in Davenport, IA.

After graduating from the University of Iowa School of Law in 1971, Tom joined the law practice of Schoenthaler, Schoenthaler & Roberg in Maquoketa, IA.  He opened his own office in 1976 and was a sole practitioner in Maquoketa until retirement in 2013.  In addition to counseling his own clients, he served as the Jackson County Juvenile Court Judge for several years and was the City Attorney for several small towns around Maquoketa.

He served on Boards of Trustees for the Maquoketa Utility Board, Maquoketa YMCA and Maquoketa Art Experience, providing legal counsel at their inceptions.  He was also a member of the Board of the Maquoketa Area Foundation, and for more than 40 years served on the Maquoketa Library Board of Trustees.  Tom was a long-time member of the United Church of Christ in Maquoketa.

Devoted to his family, he especially delighted in his four grandchildren; he and Carol recently relocated from Iowa to Minnesota in order to be closer to their family.  Tom loved talking to people about little things, big ideas and current events, and learning their stories. Tom had a wonderful sense of humor and a big laugh, an abundance of common sense, and was a friend to all.  As much as he loved the people and places where he lived, he was always “From Wisconsin,” from the lakes in Madison to the beaches in Door County. And, was a fan of the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers through thick and thin.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by wife Carol Shumate Breuch of Oak Park Heights, MN; sons Peter (Lee-Ann) of Arden Hills, MN, and Tyler (Toby) of Plymouth, MN, and grandchildren Emily and Coen, Violet and Lucy; sister and brother-in-law Barbara and Richard Weaver of Madison, WI, brother- and sister-in-law Craig and Nancy Shumate of Seattle, WA; nieces and nephews Karen Bex (Robert), David Weaver (Tami), Mark Weaver (Lisa), Rachel Koller (Izaak),and Jaclyn Held (Peter); five great-nieces and two great-nephews.

Celebration of Life Services will take place on January 28, 2023, at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church (1660 County B Road W, Roseville, MN; visitation at 10 a.m., service at 11 a.m., with a lunch to follow). An additional service will be scheduled later this spring in Maquoketa, IA. The ashes will be interred at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison, WI.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Tom’s name to the charity of your choice, or to:  Maquoketa Library Foundation, https://www.maquoketa.lib.ia.us/, Maquoketa Art Experience, https://maquoketa-art.org/, Maquoketa Area Family YMCA Annual Campaign, https://www.ymcaimv.org/maquoketa/, Jackson County Veterans’ Memorial Park, Steve Lucke, 11823 Hwy 62, Maquoketa, IA 52060, or the Maquoketa United Church of Christ, www.maqucc.org/

The Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa is caring for the family locally.  Online Condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.