Thomas Wilfred Pape

September 25, 1935 - February 26, 2021

Thomas Wilfred Pape, age 85 of Chesterton, Indiana passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Friday, February 26, 2021. He was born on September 25, 1935 in Buffalo, NY to Thomas and Charlotte (Ingwersen) Pape. Thomas is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Maura (McNamara) Pape of Chesterton; three sons, David (Amanda) Pape of Valparaiso, IN, Jeremy (Jennifer) Pape of Valparaiso, IN, Benjamin (Wendy) Pape of Redwood City, CA; daughter, Rebecca Pape of Chicago, IL; sister, Emily (Michael) McGarrity of Santa Fe, NM; grandchildren, Lindsey Pape, Loren Brook, Jack Eichelberger, Ella Pape, and Ethan and Emma Pape. He was preceded in death by his parents and son, Barnaby Pape. Tom spent his early childhood in the Morgan Park neighborhood of Chicago and moved with his parents to Furnessville near Chesterton, IN where he spent the rest of his childhood playing in the woods and dunes of the area. His parents remodeled a rural schoolhouse and turned it into a business, the Schoolhouse Shop, which continues to be a part of the region and an important part of Furnessville history. Tom earned a scholarship to the University of Chicago during his junior year of high school. He skipped his senior year and went to the University where he majored in education and graduated with an AB in 1959. After college he spent time in Boston, Massachusetts working for H.A. Mack. In the mid 1960’s he taught in a one room schoolhouse in Jacksonville, California and then at Torrance High School in Torrance, CA. Tom received a Master in Science of Teaching from the University of Chicago in 1974. He taught at Horace Mann High School in Gary, IN, Barker Middle School in Michigan City, IN and Springfield Elementary in Michigan City, IN. Prior to retiring in 2005, he had been the Head Guidance Counselor at Michigan City High School. He also taught Counselor Education at Purdue Calumet. Throughout his teaching career in the 1980s and early 1990s he also assisted his parents with operating the Schoolhouse Shop and took over the business for some time after his parents retired. Tom played the piano (despite his best efforts to get out of lessons as a child) and loved music, poetry, art, literature, gardening, the environment, politics, and studying the origin and future of humankind. He enjoyed seeing his grandchildren and was an excellent cook. Tom was an endlessly introspective character and wrote almost daily, filling a total of 14 personal journals, beginning in 1987. His humor and wit were, and always will be, inimitable. Tom's family will be having a Celebration of Life on Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm at Furnessville Cemetery, 275 E. 1500 N., Chesterton, IN 46304 with continued celebration to follow at Jeremy and Jennifer Pape's home, located at 496 Whitewood Dr., Valparaiso, IN 46383. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Tom’s name to the Indiana Audubon Society at https://indianaaudubon.org/donate/. Arrangements made with Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home, Chesterton, IN.