Thomas “Tom” A. Budny, age 81, of Sussex, WI passed away Tuesday morning, July 21, 2026 in Menomonee Falls WI after a short decline in health. Born in Milwaukee, WI on December 14, 1944, he was the only son of Alex and Matilda (nee Fischer) Budny. His proud father Alex came home from being stationed at Pearl Harbor for his only son’s birth. Tom grew up loving trains from the day he went exploring with his dad in the Milwaukee area. The family then moved to West Allis. He and his dad would go fishing often, along with his continuing love for trains which carried into his adulthood.

In 1966, at age 22, he was drafted into the Army, First Cav division, doing boot camp in Georgia learning electronics and then going to Vietnam on the day of the Tet Offensive in January of 1968. He wrote orders on the night shift for the base and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. While there, he began writing to who would be his first wife, Frances Kasten, after his parents met her at a local restaurant and suggested she write to him. They continued the courtship and married on September 1, 1970. Their only daughter, Rachel (Bisom) was born in 1971. They lived in West Allis for a year while building their home in Sussex, WI. In 1975, they divorced.

He worked for 20 years at Oster and still proudly has his original Osterizer at home. An electrical engineer by trade, he later he worked for JC Penney for many years after Oster relocated in 1991, but ultimately retired from Snap-On in 2009.

In 1983, he married Laura (Ivie), and they divorced in 1988.

In 1991, he finally found the love of his life in Barbara (Kubik) in 1991 to whom he met at JC Penney and they married in 1993. They enjoyed many happy days together, train vacations around the US, to Wisconsin Dells & Florida and gained 3 new grown daughters, Kim, Lorie and Tammy, their spouses and his first of many grandchildren. He was a very proud grandpa of 6 and great-grandpa to 10. Sadly, “his Barbie” preceded him in death after 12 happy years of love and marriage in October, 2005.

Tom was a proud 50+ year member of the Milwaukee Light Engineering Society and would go to the “train park” in Cedarburg most weekends, often bringing young Rachel, his wife Barbie and grandkids. He built 2 locomotives and designed and built an entire track signaling system for the park which was a huge task. The last few years, he mentored a young engineering student, friend and fellow train-lover, Sam to take the reins. Tom spent most weekends giving free train rides at the park throughout the summer and “Pumpkin trains” during October. This love of trains was evident from in his model HO railroad that dominated his basement.

He was a gentle, loving father, grandfather, son, and friend who loved anything trains, fishing, 40’s Big Band music, Pepsi, mowing his lawn and Barbieri’s pizza in Milwaukee.

Tom is survived by his only daughter, Rachel Bisom of Salem, 3 stepdaughters Kim (Joe) Young of Waterford, Lorie (Todd) Gillard of West Bend and Tammy Mascari of West Bend, close friend Al Parks of Milwaukee; grandchildren Ammie (Brad) Kamrath, Adam Gillard, Ashley (Nathan) Loduha, Brittany (Robert) Matuszewski, Katie (Jeff) Roehrig, Rosario Mascari; great grandchildren Isabella, Addilynn, Dekker, Emersyn, Hudson, Eloise, Brynnley, Jordan, Bennett and Ellie. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, mother, Matilda “Dilly” Budny, Father Alex Budny and Uncle Walter Budny.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Milwaukee Light Engineering Society (MLES) train park in Cedarburg, WI in his name are appreciated.

Services will be private and interment at Forest Home Cemetery at a future date. Life party notifications for friends and family are forthcoming for an event later this fall.

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