Thomas Baltz Obituary Thomas "Tom" John Baltz, age 77, died peacefully at home in the arms of his loving wife during the early morning hours of Friday, October 11, 2024. Tom was born on February 26, 1947, to John and Pauline Baltz, in Pittsburgh, PA, where he grew up as an only beloved child. Tom graduated from Pittsburghs Baldwin Senior High School in June 1965. He attended Lea College in Albert Lea, MN, where he met Diane Hokanson. They married in October 1970. He graduated in 1971 with a BA in Business, and accepted a management trainee position in Rochester, MN. Over the next 14 years, Tom and Diane raised three sons, John, Patrick, and Timothy, living first in Champlin and later in LeSeuer. In 1985, they purchased "the American dream"a small independent resort in the Brainerd Lakes areaand moved the family to Nisswa. Running a family resort in Minnesota is seasonal, so Tom was also employed by Norson Construction in Brainerd, and later by USLink in Pequot Lakes. In 1992, Tom and Diane divorced. They closed the resort and sold off the individual cabins. Tom met the love of his life, Patty Holter, in 1993. They were married in 1999 and moved to Pequot Lakes in 2002. They traveled as often as they could, taking a cruise through the Caribbean Islands and spending a week in Aruba. They were blessed to see Italy with friends, to see Hawaii with Pattys parents, and Norway with Pattys dad. They loved their trips to see John and Patrick and their families in Florida, and Tim and the girls in Colorado. Other favorite vacations were road trips to Mackinac Island with their good friend Helen, to Sistersville, WV and The Villages, Florida, to see best friends Dan and Linda, to San Francisco and wine country with members of the Marrin clan, to Pittsburgh for Toms 50th high school reunion, and to Lake Tahoe several times to visit Pattys brother Doug. They also enjoyed flying out to visit "brother" Marv and wife Judy in Florida when they "gave up Minnesota" for lent. In 2018, Tom and his business partner sold their property management business and retired, and Tom and Patty began traveling south for 6-12 weeks during the colder months. Tom liked to say retirement was the best job hed ever had. Tom was one of the nicest, happiest, jolliest, friendliest, best people you could ever meet. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, son-in-law, friend, and neighbor. He was genuinely interested in other people, and innately knew how to find a connection with everyone he met. He had a huge heart, and would do anything he could to help family, friends, and neighbors. Tom loved fiercely. He was devoted to his wife and adored his three handsome sons. He was so proud of them, and he was especially proud of his five grandchildren. He loved boating, riding his zero-turn lawnmower, projects of all kinds, and naps. Tom loved his naps! Greeting Tom in heaven will be his parents, John and Pauline, his mother-in-law, Carmen Holter, his brother-in-law, Doug Holter, and several close friends who have gone before him. Tom will be sorely missed by his wife, Patty, his son John, daughter-in-law Mirllana, grandchildren Thomas, Dominic, and Brooke, son Patrick, daughter-in-law Brittney, son Timothy, granddaughters Riley and Keagan, his father-in-law, Richard Holter, his brother-in-law, Randy Carlson, and many close, lifelong friends. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11am on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at St. Christophers Catholic Church in Nisswa. Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating the life of this very special man. Visitation times are Tuesday, October 22, from 5-7pm at the Nelson-Doran Funeral Home, and Wednesday, one hour prior to Services at the Church. A luncheon will follow the service. Heartfelt thanks to Toms oncology team at the Mayo Clinic, the medical staff at Essentia-St. Josephs, and especially to Dr. Harvey Anderson (Essentia-Baxter), and to the staff at Good Samaritan, who provided excellent home care and home hospice care during Toms cancer journey. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Toms memory to the American Cancer Society.