Thomas A. O'Sadnick

Thomas A. O’Sadnick, 88, LaSalle died at 7:15 AM peacefully in his sleep surrounded, by his loving family in his home on January 30, 2017.

A Mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 AM on Saturday, February 4 at St. Patrick Church, LaSalle with Rev. Ronald Margherio OSB of St. Bede Abby officiating. Burial will be in St. Vincent’s Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7:00 PM Friday at the Hurst Funeral Home in La Salle with a rosary to be recited at 3:45 PM. Additional visitation will be 10:00 AM until time of services on Saturday in the church.

Mr. O’Sadnick was born November 26, 1928 in LaSalle to Frank, and Mary Ethel (Swords) O’Sadnick.  He was happily married to Elizabeth “Betty” (Waligora) O’Sadnick from May 9, 1953 until she passed away on March 21, 2000.  He was then able to find happiness again when he was married to Jaqueline (Bedard) Cole O’Sadnick on February 9, 2002.  They were about to celebrate their 15th anniversary.

He attended St. Bede for one year.  His step-father, the infamous LaSalle bar-keep, Jimmy Keys wanted him to be a boxer.  And where better to learn Golden Glove boxing than from catholic priests in the 1940’s?  It didn’t take long for him to realize that boxing was not going to be his one-way ticket out of Palookaville.  His feet were faster than his hands.  He quickly changed course, and enrolled at LaSalle Peru High School where he played halfback on the football team. He also excelled in track and field under the guidance of legendary coach and mentor, Howard Fellows. (Tom still holds the LP school record in the 200 yard dash – 21.8 seconds).

He attended LPO Junior College and served in the U.S. Army Air Force during the Korean War where he reached the rank of Sergant.   Upon completing service to his country in 1950, he founded Tom’s Tire Shop, located on the SW corner of 3rd and Bucklin in LaSalle.  There, he was a vital supplier of truck tires and service to the AASHO Road Test conducted in the mid to late 1950’s which led to road-building guidance, engineering standards and practices which were vital to the building of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in the 50’s and 60’s.  

After he and Betty began having children in the mid-50’s, all that fun Tom was having lifting heavy tires was about to end.  He needed a little “safer” line of work to support his family, so he got started in the insurance business.  In the next decades, he would work in escalating capacities for Farmers Insurance, American States, and Physicians Mutual.

He was a past president of the La Salle-Peru Kiwanis Club, past member of the Knights of Columbus, lifetime member of the American Legion, and a Red Coat volunteer at IVCH for 18 years.

Tom was a life-long, die-hard Chicago Cubs fan.  He defied the odds, and saw his beloved Cubbies finally win the World Series within his lifetime.  No small feat.

He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline (Bedard Cole) O’Sadnick of LaSalle.  Children:  Maureen (Matt) Johnson of Anchorage, Alaska: Eileen (Robert) Smith of Parker, Colorado:  Kathy Cole (Paul) Hendrick of Wautoma, Wisconsin:  Daniel O’Sadnick of Davenport, Florida: David (Kathy) O’Sadnick of Evergreen, Colorado: Richard (Traci) O’Sadnick of Peru, and Michael O’Sadnick of Bloomington, Indiana: Stephen (Suzy) Cole of Florida and Mathew (Katie) Cole of Geneva, Illinois.

He is also survived by one sister Nancy Porter of LaSalle, and brother-in-law James (Yvonne) Waligora of League City, Texas, and brother-in-law Robert Bedard of Kankakee.

He left behind 18 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all whom he loved dearly.  The little ones were naturally drawn to his big personality and good nature.  
Grandchildren Pam Brown, Amy Hills, Megan O’ Sadnick; Luke, Mary Clare, Anna, and Miles O’Sadnick; Thomas and Allison O’Sadnick; Michael, Elizabeth, and Julia Johnson; Katherine, Emily, and Lauren Smith; Grady, Kelsy, and Emersyn Cole. 
Great grandchildren Mackenzie Brown, Jack O’Sadnick, and Leo Hills; and nieces & nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Maurice (Bud), one sister: Rowena, and one brother-in-law: Fr. Leo Waligora OSB.
Memorials may be directed in his name to St. Bede Academy.

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