Thomas Irving Maltbey

Thomas "Tom" Irving Maltbey took his last breath on May 7, 2026, with his loving wife and daughters by his side.

Thirty-seven years ago, Tom received the incredible gift of a kidney from his brother, Tim, a gift that gave him many more years with the people he loved most. Throughout his life, Tom faced more than his share of health challenges, but he met them with quiet strength, determination, and courage. Until the very end, he did everything he could to stay healthy, heal, and recover. His body had endured so much, and though it could no longer keep up, his spirit never stopped fighting.

Tom was an incredible man, strong, humble, patient, caring, and deeply devoted to his family. He was not a man of many words, but when he spoke, his words came from the heart. His advice was honest, meaningful, and often came with his unmistakable ability to call out the obvious. He was the rock of his family, steady and dependable, and his love was shown through his actions every single day.

Tom was the first All-State football player at Wausau West High School, where he played both sides of the ball. It was also during high school that he met the love of his life, Sharon, at just 16 years old, and, true to Tom's determined nature, he didn't take "no" for an answer. Together, they built a beautiful life and shared 50 years of marriage.

Tom worked for Greenheck Fan for more than 30 years before retiring in 2016. Outside of work, he found joy in the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing.

As a devoted girl dad, he happily passed those passions on to his daughters, always willing to share his lunch, and, of course, his candy bars. He loved sports, spent time coaching softball, and took great pride in supporting his girls in anything they chose to do.

One of Tom's greatest joys was being a grandfather. He was extremely proud of his five grandchildren, Cole, Wes, Will, Samantha, and Allie, and rarely missed one of their activities. Whether he was cheering from the sidelines, watching from the stands, or simply showing up with quiet pride, his presence meant everything.

Tom also loved riding his Harley, especially alongside his best friend, Larry. Those rides brought him happiness, freedom, and memories he treasured. Tom will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. His strength, loyalty, quiet humor, and steady love will live on in the family he cherished so much.

Tom is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Sharon; his daughters, Jamie (Jason) Polley and Kendra (Danny) VanSlyke; his grandchildren, Wes and Samantha Polley, and Cole, Will, and Allie VanSlyke; his sister, Vicky Pingel; his brother, Tim (Wendy)

Maltbey; brothers-in-law, Ross Wood, Marv Schael, and Bob McCabe; sister-in-law, Jayne Wood; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Victor Maltbey; his in-laws Kenneth and Geraldine Wood; his sisters, Sandy McCabe, Shron Schael, and Marcia Maltbey; and his brothers-in-law, Michael Wood, Jeff Wood and Dick Pingel.

A memorial service will be held Friday, May 15, 2026 at Covenant Community Presbyterian Church, 1806 Weston Ave, Schofield, WI 54476. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to UW Health Transplant Center Greatest Needs Fund - 132900506 in Tom's honor. https://www.uwhealth.org/philanthropy