Thomas John Markos, Sr.

Chicago, he was the oldest of four children of John and Constance Markos of Lake in the Hills,

Illinois.

Tom was the last of the “Four Horsemen” of the 1956 Dundee (IL) Community High School

Varsity Football Team. That was the year Tom ran 86 yards for the winning touchdown—and a

long-awaited victory against a rival school. Graduating in 1957, Tom received a full-ride football

scholarship to Purdue University, but he forfeited it to support the family when his father became

ill. Tom went on to serve as a Private First Class in the United States Army, stationed in

Germany, where he also played football for the Army.

Upon completing his military service, Tom attended culinary school in Paris, and furthered his

career as a chef at several prominent hotels and restaurants in the Chicago area. Tom moved

from Crystal Lake, IL to Phoenix in 1989 to marry his high school sweetheart, Mary Struwing.

They were married for 30 years. Tom retired from Harold’s Corral in Cave Creek, AZ after 31

years as one of the head chefs.

Tom will be remembered for his love for and devotion to his wife, Mary, and their three dogs;

his love for golf, road trips with his brother Christ, cooking, Chicago’s football team “Da Bears,”

cigars, and classic movies; and how he encouraged others and was an exemplary model of hard

work and self-sacrifice.

Tom will be deeply missed. He is survived by his wife, Mary; five children, Tracy, Tom Jr.,

Cathy, Kim Ladd (Peter), and Todd Bontrager (Courtney); five grandchildren, James (Lily),

Melissa, McClain, Karsen, and Tom III; one great-grandchild, Ethan; and his three siblings, Joan

Ann Peters and Georgiana Viverito in Florida, and Christ (Laura) in New Mexico.

Per Tom’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a

donation to the Wounded Warrior Project®, which helps veterans and active duty service

members (woundedwarriorproject.org), and/or the Gary Sinise Foundation, which provides

support to veterans, defenders, first responders, and their families (garysinisefoundation.org).