Thomas "Tom" John Heleniak

Thomas John Heleniak (Tom), age 83, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away June 25, 2023. Tom was born on November 14, 1939 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Gertrude (Szuchnichi) and Constantine Heleniak. Born at home, he was a welcome surprise to his three older brothers, who found him asleep in a basket on the kitchen table when they returned from school. Tom grew up in Milwaukee and graduated from Pulaski High School. He joined the Army and trained at Ft. Riley, KS. After military service, he attended the Milwaukee Institute of Technology. It was in Milwaukee where he met and married the love of his life, Ruth Cecelia Bunek to whom he was married for fifty-five years.

Tom’s career as a salesman for companies such as Evinrude, Delta Tools, and Dewalt, took him and his family to Framingham, MA, Overland Park, KS, Tulsa, OK and Gladstone, MO. It was Gladstone they considered “home” for more than twenty-five years.

Tom was known for his lightning-fast wit and devilish sense of humor. He was proud of his Polish heritage and loved Polish jokes, despite being unable to tell them. He would laugh himself to tears, to the point of being unable to deliver the punchline. Tom was a gregarious tease until the very end. He greeted everyone with his famous line, “How are YOU doing?”.

Tom was an Army veteran, a long-time member of St. Andrews Parish in Gladstone, MO, a member of the Knights of Columbus, in addition to being an amazing husband, father, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend. Tom’s faith, family and friends were of utmost importance to him. Tom was preceded in death by his son (Jeff), wife (Ruth), and his brothers (Conrad & Robert). He is survived by his son, John (Nicole), brother, Dan (Olivia) and many cherished nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters’ in-laws, and friends. His family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff at Brandon Woods where Tom lived—and thrived—for the past six years. Additional thanks to St. Croix Hospice.

Services will take place Saturday, August 12, 2023, at St. Andrews’s Catholic Church, 6415 NE Antioch Rd., Gladstone, MO. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m., the Rosary will be prayed at 10 a.m., followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Jeff Heleniak Scholarship Fund c/o Gladstone Rotary Club, 6600 N. Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO 64119 or Venmo @GladstoneRotary and designate "Jeff Heleniak Scholarship Fund”. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.dwnwhitechapel.com for the Heleniak family.

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