Thomas "Cat" L. Christopherson

Thomas L. “Cat” Christopherson, 68, of La Crosse, died on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at the Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. He was born on May 2, 1956 in Prairie du Chein, WI to Marcelus and Mary “Bunnie” Christopherson.

Tommy “Cat” was an amazing brother, friend, cousin, and uncle.  As the third child of 4 siblings, we were a very close family.  Growing up, Mom and Dad took us camping, boating, fishing, and water skiing almost every weekend during the summer.  He graduated from Aquinas high school in 1975.  He was on the Varsity Wrestling team and enjoyed the competition.

He was a gentle soul and always had a positive attitude.  He did occasionally have a temper that got him into trouble.   However, his resilience and compassion were incredible qualities. He would give the shirt off his back if someone needed it. And sometimes people took advantage of that quality.

He had a wonderful sense of humor and wit!   He loved watching TV, especially the old TV shows and movies. He had a huge collection of DVDs.

He loved fishing, playing pool, and was passionate about cars, cars, and more cars. Not just any car, he loved the “Mustangs” and muscle cars he had over the years.  He enjoyed detailing his cars along with working as a detailer for many car dealerships. He took pride in doing a good job! He was always a hard worker.

Tommy loved football and was an avid Cowboys fan. He couldn’t wait for the fall season to begin. He had many reminders of his Cowboys allegiance in his apartment and on his clothing. Don’t get him started if you talked about the Packers.

His lifelong friends stood by him throughout his life. Everyone liked Tommy, or as he was better known as “Cat”.  Apparently, the nickname started when he demonstrated incredible speed on the basketball court. In his early years, he had amazing strength and loved weightlifting and working out with his friends.  He was in the Tough Man contest and accumulated over 30 trophies from the weightlifting competitions he won.

He loved animals and especially enjoyed watching and feeding the birds in his backyard.

The last five years, following his bone marrow transplant, were challenging. However, Tommy was incredibly strong and positive. He’d say, “I’m ok, everything’s going to be alright.” And he meant it. He was always a glass half full.

Tommy is survived by his siblings, Katie (Richard Bruyn) Christopherson, Bob (Sue) Christopherson, and Dan (Suzi Lane) Christopherson, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Our heartfelt thanks to the Doctors and care teams at Gundersen Lutheran Health System and UW-Madison Health for providing the care and support Tommy needed to navigate his health challenges.

Special thanks to Inclusa Family Care for their services and support and to Tommy’s dedicated and compassionate team of Caregivers for providing the care and support Tommy needed to live his life with quality, dignity, and enjoyment.

He will be missed by all whose lives he touched! Rest in Peace Tommy.

Family and friends may call at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services in La Crosse on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 beginning at 1:00 PM with a Prayer Service to follow at 2:00 PM. A Celebration of Life will follow the service from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at Big Al’s Pizza, 115 So. 3rd Street, La Crosse. A complete obituary and online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.