Dr. Thomas George Englund, 81, of Stillwater, died Jan. 20, 2023. He attended Holy Childhood Catholic School. He graduated from Cretin High School in 1959 and matriculated to St. Thomas University, working at Montgomery Wards to help finance his education.
His desire to become a doctor sent him to Creighton Medical School in Omaha, Nebraska. On visits home he met Patricia Barrett.
Pat and Tom were married in 1965 and she joined him in Omaha while he finished medical school.
Shortly after medical school, Tom enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served as a physician at the Air Force medical facility in Biloxi, Mississippi. From Biloxi, Tom began training as an ear, nose and throat surgical specialist at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Part of this training sent him to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota where he supported the Indian Health Services. He completed his training in 1974.
From there, Tom and Pat relocated to Mankato where he joined the staff at the Mankato Clinic.
Tom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014 and treated it aggressively, exercising and keeping his mind sharp by playing Trivial Pursuit. His favorite exercise in his later years was boxing.
He is survived by his wife Pat; children Jim, Anne, Chris (Kindra) and Caryn (Russ); and five grandsons.
A celebration of Tom’s life was scheduled for Feb. 14, with burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Please send memorials to The Parkinson’s Foundation of Minnesota.
