Thomas Leonard Rutkowski

December 25, 1934 - April 11, 2018

THOMAS LEONARD RUTKOWSKI Thomas Leonard Rutkowski passed away on 4/11/2018. He was 83 years old when his journey on earth ended at his home in Minden, NV, with family at his side. He put up a good fight, but his many medical issues caught up with him. Tom was born in Hamtramck, Michigan in 1934 to Anna and Leonard Rutkowski. As a young adult, he enlisted in the USMC and was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA. While in the Marines he met the love of his life, Donna Ann Mellinger. They were married in 1959 and eventually settled in Ventura, CA after surviving one winter in Michigan. Tom worked some interesting jobs before finding his niche working for the Navy as a Logistician. He retired from Civil Service at Port Hueneme in 1990. He then worked as a consultant for the Navy. He and Donna were busy producing and raising their children: son Thomas and daughter Chrystine. In 2007 Donna and Tom picked up and moved to the land of beautiful snow-capped mountains. Tom loved looking at those mountains and anyone coming to visit was shown that view.         He was preceded in death by his mother, Anna, his father-in-law and mother-in-law Bill and Anita Mellinger. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Donna, son Tom (Sara), daughter Chrystine (Jerry), grandchildren Tawnya (Shayne), Carlie, Kaitlin, Clayton, Luke and great grandchildren Kevin and Kashlynn. He will be so missed by his family.