Thomas Charles Manske

Thomas Charles Manske, aged 76, of Le Sueur, MN passed from this life surrounded by his family on June 15th, 2023, after a brief illness. A visitation will be held at Kolden Funeral Home in Le Sueur, MN on Monday, June 19th, from 4:00-7:00pm.  Burial at Mound Cemetery will be private.

Tom was born on August 26th, 1946, to Clyde Charles and Margaret Agnes (Mans) Manske in Stillwater, MN. Tom graduated from Loyola High School, in Mankato MN, in 1964. He married Gail Marie Gosewisch in 1966. Tom graduated from Mankato State College in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree. One of Tom’s greatest joys in life was teaching. He got his first job teaching English at Osceola High School, in Osceola, WI. In 1971, he accepted a teaching position in Le Sueur, MN where he was a passionate teacher of Speech and English for 33 years. In 1986, Tom married Christine Kay Schofield in an intimate family ceremony. They shared a life together for 37 years.

Tom was the epitome of life-long learning. He was an avid reader of many genres, taught himself to play guitar, and created beautiful paintings in acrylics and watercolor. Many got to know Tom through his love of winemaking. He won awards at county and state fairs exhibiting his many varieties of wine, which he generously shared with family and friends. Tom enjoyed the camaraderie of his friends and sons on multiple fishing trips to northern Minnesota and Lake Michigan.

Tom is survived by his wife Christine; children Jeffrey Saucier (Stacy), Jessica Jones (Troy Glaubitz), and stepson Julian Schofield (Dionne Dodd); his siblings William “Bill” Manske (Barb), James “Jim” Manske (Nancy), and Roxanne “Roxie” Manske; brothers-in-law John Schofield (Ruth) and Andre Schofield (Linda); grandchildren Mason, Leah, and Maya Jones, Nicholas, Madeline, and Connor Saucier; and Olivia Gross; eight nephews and four nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister-in-law Annette Leyden.