Thomas Arvig

Thomas J. "Tom" Arvig, age 74 of Melrose, died Thursday, December 22, 2016 at his home on Big Birch Lake.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday, December 29 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in St. Rosa with Rev. Daniel Walz officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Melrose.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Thomas Joseph Arvig was born January 30, 1942 in St. Cloud, Minnesota to Leonard H. and Marie (Stundebeck) Arvig. Tom graduated from Melrose High School and attended St. John's University. He was united in marriage to Emily Berscheit on December 1, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tom lived on Big Birch Lake his entire married life. As a teenager, Tom started working in the family business, the Melrose Telephone Company; a family owned company for over 80 years. He retired as President of the company in 2010. Tom loved to travel, and was an accomplished private pilot, with over 4,000 hours of logged flight time. Tom's generosity was well known by all who knew him.

Survivors include his son, Scott (Sara) Arvig of Grey Eagle; daughter, Elisabeth Arvig Kuhns (significant other, David Thorson) of Melrose; and seven grandchildren, Vanessa, Victoria, and Alexander Kuhns, and Myra, Silas, Claire, and Lynn Arvig.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Emily Arvig on May 18, 2012; son, Blain Arvig on May 18, 2012; parents, L.H. and Marie Arvig; and grandson, Leo Arvig.