Don J. Tomas

Tomas, (Donald) Joseph, 87 years old, passed away on September 9, 2019.  Beloved husband of the late Arlene (nee, Soliwoda).   Loving dad of Linda (Andy) Wolk.  Don and Arlene owned and operated Don’s Flower Shop for 65 years on the city’s far south side.  The Grand Opening was on December 9^th, 1950.  Don believed “one store, one headache.” He chose the located due to the cemetery and, at that time, that is where the streetcar ended.  Cemeteries were located at the edge of town, there were orchards and fields south of Howard Ave and Wilson Park was just starting to be developed.

For ten years, 1971-1981, Don and Arlene sponsored the Don’s Flower Shop Halloween Parade which marched down South `13^th Street between Manitoba Ave and Howard Ave.  Awards for best marching band, costumes, floats and bikes were awarded in the S. 13^th Street parking lot of Wilson Park.  Community business leaders and City of Milwaukee aldermen, supervisors and TV news personalities and the WOKY and WZUU radio vans were also part of the parade.

Don and Arlene loved to sight see in Chicago and the area and go to their favorite Polish restaurants in Niles, IL.  They also loved to go to gardens, arboretums, museums, theatre and many industry shows and conventions.  Both were veracious readers.  Besides Don’s passion to read about plants, he had extensive knowledge of history and military history.

For over 30 years, Don’s Flower Shop donated the bouquets for the Milwaukee Ballet Company dancers and provided fundraising flowers for the Milwaukee Ballet School, Roosevelt School of the Arts, Alverno College School of Business Graduation Rose Sale and Women of Asian Ethnicity flower sale during the Hmong New Year at State Fair Park.   They also sponsored bowling leagues and donated flowers to so many groups and programs.

Don served in the Korean War as a combat engineer and drove bulldozer on the front line.  Don received National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars. In 2017, Don went on the Honor Flight and truly enjoyed the experience.

His daughter, Linda, would like to express much gratitude and many thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff of the Zablocki Milwaukee VA Medical Center for their help, care and compassion. Also, many thanks to long time family friends and “forever” part time employees, Jeff Brodzik and Todd Golembiewski.

As with his wife Arlene, a private family service was held.

Interment at the Southern Wisconsin Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery.