John Tait

John Tait, 78, Sheboygan, died Friday morning, April 29, 2022 following an acute illness and brief stay at Sharon Richardson Hospice in Sheboygan Falls.  John’s family is grateful to their dedicated hospice staff to allow his wife Barb and seven children to be in constant attendance for the week so they could be together during the final week of his life.  He was one of five children born March 29, 1944 in Oconto Falls to Thomas C. and Mary (Padden) Tait Sr.  John grew up in Oconto Falls where he attended St. Anthony Catholic Grade School, later graduating from Premontre High School with the class of 1962.  Following graduation, he attended UW-Whitewater and in the summers, he worked in Minneapolis and attended the University of MN.  John graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1966 with a B. B. A. degree with majors in both accounting and economics.  His first job out of college was at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH programming computers.

On September 16, 1967 he married Barbara DeWerth at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in New Berlin.  Following their marriage the couple made their home in Fairborn, OH where Barb was also employed at the air base.  Following the birth of their first-born son Andrew, the young family moved to Beloit where John continued to work with computers, first for the Beloit Corp. and later for the Freeman Shoe Co.  John continued with his education at night and received his Master of Science degree in accounting in 1976.  He started a new job in Eau Claire in 1979 for ITT Financial Corp Data Center and transferred to St. Louis, MO.  In 1983, the family moved to Sheboygan County where John was employed by Heritage Insurance. He also worked for Appleton Fox Valley Tech as a teacher, Inspire Insurance Solutions, and Associated Bank in Green Bay.  In 2000 John became a financial advisor, working for Prudential Insurance, MetLife, and finally becoming Independent Agent, specializing in insurance products and financial planning until retirement in 2014.  His hobbies included bowling, hunting and fishing while raising his family.  Later in life he was an active member of the Sheboygan Rifle and Pistol Club, where he competed in shooting events, actively fundraised and volunteered.  He also raised thousands of daffodils and spent many hours researching genealogy for family and friends.  John was also a proud and honorary member of the Badgerland Basset Hound Club.

Survivors are his loving wife of 55 years, Barb Tait; their seven children, Andrew (Amy) Tait, Jennifer (James) Sowinski, Brian (Meaghan) Tait, Kathryn (John) Vergeront, Alison (Dave Galuska) Tait, Peter (Elizabeth) Tait and Robert (Naomi) Tait; his best-friend Willy (English Pointer); ten grandchildren, Brianne Bastman, Brady Tait, Elaina and Matthew Sowinski, Carter, Chandler and Caris Tait, Taylor and Henry Vergeront, Bode Tait Nelson; his only great grandson, Ari Reed Bastman; three siblings, Mary Miller, Claudette (Steve) Prenger and Thomas C. (Jane) Tait Jr.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Jeanne O’Harrow.

Visitation will take place after 10:00 am Friday, May 13, 2022 at Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls until the time of service.  Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Friday at the funeral home with Deacon Peter Gard officiating.  Burial will follow on the Tait family plot in St. Anthony Cemetery, Oconto Falls.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to Sharon S. Richardson Hospice, W2850 Cty Rd. 28, Sheboygan Falls, WI  53085; phone: 920-467-1800 or visit: https://ssrhospicehome.org.