Thomas Joseph Nauman Obituary (1950

Magnolia: Thomas Joseph Nauman, 74, of Magnolia, passed away suddenly Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 7:01 pm at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Peru. Cremation rites have been accorded. A memorial visitation will be held Monday February 17, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at Calvert & Johnson Memorial Home, Henry. Memorial services will follow at 6:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family. Tom was born on September 18, 1950, in Spring Valley, IL to LeRoy L. and Helen M. (Maupin) Nauman. He married Vicky S. Kelly (née Dalrymple) on April 6, 1984, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Lacon, IL. She survives. Also surviving are his children, Josh (and Shelly) Nauman of Granville, Jesse (and Ellie) Nauman of Ottawa, Tomi Jo (and Jake) Gage of Romeoville, Katie (and Justin) Grosenbach of Oglesby, and Mindy (and Tim) Courtway of Metamora; his grandchildren Brandon Courtway, Blake (and Krista) Courtway, Kaden Thomas and Kami Nauman, Georgia and Rosie Grosenbach, Charlie, Casey and Cori Gage; great-grandchildren Wyatt Courtway, Harper and Haydyn Courtway, a great-grandson on the way; his brother, Chris Nauman of Henry and sister, Anne Nauman of Magnolia, sisters-in-law; Char Nauman of Henry, Norma Nauman of Douglasville, Georgia, and Genevieve Nauman of Sacramento, California; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Richard, Don, Larry, and Dave (and Sandy) Nauman; his sisters Margie (and Bill) Kennedy, Jeannie (and David) Redman; and granddaughter Kaylee Nauman. Tom was the sixth of nine children born to Roy and Helen Nauman. When Tom was a boy, they loved to travel, and the family lived in several parts of the country. Tom attended St. Mary’s Catholic Grade School in Henry, then Catholic grade school in Pekin. The family moved out west, and Tom attended middle school in Silver City, New Mexico. Tom attended Buena Vista High School in Ventura, California. Tom played water polo and was on the swim and dive team, earning fifth place in the state of California’s high dive competition during his junior year. The family returned to Henry, where Tom graduated from Henry-Senachwine High School in 1968. Tom attended Illinois Central College and Illinois State University, earning a degree in business and graphic arts in 1973. Tom married Lonna Johnson of Magnolia in December of 1970. They welcomed sons Joshua Thomas and Jesse, living in Peoria Heights, Ottawa, and eventually settling down to make their home in Henry. They later divorced. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Tom was actively involved in the Jaycees and Rotary Club, serving as president of both, and he also served as an Alderman in Henry. He spent many years playing in volleyball and slow pitch softball leagues and coaching his sons’ summer baseball teams. Tom started his career in the printing industry, working for several companies and offices around central Illinois. At M & D Printing in Henry, he met Vicky and they fell in love. Ever spontaneous, Tom and Vicky infamously eloped on their lunch break on a Friday afternoon. Through this union, Tom gained Mindy as a daughter. The family moved to Oak Run, where Tom and Vicky welcomed daughters Tomi Jo and Katie. After his mother passed away in 1991, Tom’s family moved one last time to Nauman Hill in rural Magnolia, living with Roy in the octagon house that he’d built in 1979. As their blended family grew, his career began to require more travel and more time away from home. He took this as a sign to depart from the printing industry in order to pursue his real passion in life- morel mushrooms- founding Morel Mania, Inc. The story goes that after seeing a carved morel at a craft fair, he said, “I can do better than that!” and so he did. In addition to offering hand carved morel “decoys,” shroom sticks, and various other accoutrements for the eclectic morel maniacs of the world, he also founded and ran the Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Championship from 1995-2004, first in Magnolia, then in Henry, and finally in Ottawa. The 2002 hunt, with 697 participants, was the largest gathering of mushroom hunters anywhere- ever. In more recent years, the hunt and festival has made a revival in Ottawa, being rebranded as the Midwest Morel Fest. The Ottawa Visitors Center presented him with an “Honorary Fungi” award for his contributions to the community in May 2024. The mushroom world is all-consuming in the springtime, but relatively slower the rest of the year, so Tom took on another job at Heartland Health Care Center (now Henry Rehab and Nursing), helping with maintenance and patient transports. He was beloved by the patients and nursing staff. He said it was the perfect job, “You can pass gas any time you feel like it, and nobody will think it’s you!” The children grew up and started families of their own, putting Tom into his most cherished role as “Grandhappy,” lovingly bestowed upon him by his granddaughter, Georgia. Especially into his “retirement” years, he enjoyed watching his grandkids play sports and perform in dance and theater. He could always be counted on for early release school pickups, taking Kaden for driving practice, and to let the girls put ponytails in his hair and paint his toenails. Remarkably, he was able to see his son Jesse finally find “the one” as he married Ellie in the summer of 2024. He will be dearly missed by all who got to know him. As Tom would say, “Glad you got to see me; the pleasure was all yours!” Online condolences may be made to: www.calvertmemorial.com.