Thomas Dudley

September 16, 1958 - September 14, 2026

Obituary

Thomas Donald Dudley, age 67, of Vonore, Tennessee, formerly of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away at 10:05 AM on Monday, September 14, 2026, after a brief illness.

Thomas dedicated 29 years of his life to law enforcement, a career that reflected his strength, dedication, and commitment to helping others. Outside of work, he had many passions and talents. He was a master woodworker and welder, a hunter and fisherman, and someone who loved nothing more than riding his motorcycle and traveling alongside his beloved wife, Pamela.

Thomas was also an avid Yahtzee player - and if you knew him, you knew he always won! Those little moments of laughter, competition, and time spent together are memories his family will treasure forever.

But above everything else, Thomas was a family man. He loved his family deeply and cherished every moment he had with them. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud grandfather, and a cherished brother. His presence, his laughter, his stories, and the love he gave so freely will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Isabell Dudley; sister, Ellen Dudley; and brother-in-law, Jim Neis.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 43 years, Pamela Jo Dudley; son, Donald (JesseMarie) Dudley; daughter, Kayla (Travis) Statz; and his precious grandson who he was so proud of, Brayden Statz. He is also survived by his sisters, Lynn Neis, Jean (Jeff) Hallmark, and Jane (Mike) Walker, and brother-in-law, Terry Straavaldsen, along with many other family members and friends who loved him dearly.

Thomas leaves behind a lifetime of memories and a love that will never fade. He may no longer be here beside us, but he will forever remain in the hearts of the people who were lucky enough to call him husband, Dad, Grandpa, brother, and friend.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Ryan Funeral Home, 6924 Lake Rd, DeForest, WI from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Dane County K9 Inc.

He was deeply loved, he will be forever missed, and his memory will live on through the family he cherished so much.

Ryan Funeral Home
Windsor/Deforest Chapel
6924 Lake Road
608-846-4250

Events

Celebration of Life

Sat Sep 26, 2026 @ 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT

Ryan Funeral Home - DeForest • 6924 Lake Rd, Deforest, WI 53532

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Randy

Friend • 13 days ago

Randy — neighbor childhood friend My condolences to Tom’s family, and my deepest appreciation for Tom’s many years of dedication to public service, especially his career in law enforcement. I first met Tom probably when we were in kindergarten. He lived just down the street from me, and we grew up together all the way through high school. After graduation, our paths went in different directions. Tom went into law enforcement, and I went into the military. But before that, we had nearly eighteen years together and probably shared thousands of experiences—many of which only a handful of people in this world would ever know about. That’s what happens when you grow up together. You collect a lifetime of stories before you even realize you’re doing it. Tom was liked by a lot of people. He was easygoing, friendly, and every once in a while a little mischievous—but then again, who wasn’t when we were young? One memory that has always stayed with me was when Tom’s dad passed away. It had a tremendous impact on Tom, but it also affected all of us in the neighborhood. It was a real shock. His dad was an artist and painted signs, and I remember spending countless hours at their house over the years. We grew up in a neighborhood that had originally been part of the Quaker Oats farm, with incredibly rich soil. Almost everybody had big gardens. Tom and I would wander around collecting apples, plums, and whatever else we could find. Those were simple times, but they gave us some wonderful memories. I could tell stories about Tom for a long time, but I’ll simply say this: we shared a tremendous part of our childhood and our lives together, and Tom grew into a very good man who dedicated much of his life to serving others. He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, the people he worked with, and the many lives he touched along the way. I’m grateful that I had the privilege of knowing him for so many years.

Kenneth Coffman

Friend • 16 days ago

Tom was my neighbor, at the other end of the street, in Sun City Festival. He was always busy working on projects and always had the time to help a neighbor. Tom and I elk hunted his last fall in Arizona. We weren't successful but at least he saw elk and got a shot on moving elk which had been spooked by another group of hunters. Tom made a horseshoe cowboy sitting at a campfire and gave it to me as a gift. I display it proudly on my patio. Goodbye, Tom. Pam, I wish you peace and comfort in the days, weeks, and years ahead.

Lori Samolyk

Friend • 17 days ago

Pam, l am deeply saddened with your earthly loss of Tom. Your heart will be holding him forever as will the hands of God. Sending prayers and all my love ♥️🙏🙏 can't be there Saturday due to family commitments but know I am here for you just a call away if you need me. I love you with all my heart and Tom is in my prayers. Candles will be light at mass for Tom. 🙏♥️🙏♥️😪

Helen Falch

Family • 20 days ago

Went to his wedding Pam Fraizer..She cried all the way down the aisle from happiness. Helen Falch..They lived on Sactjen St.

Richard and Sue Morris

Family • 23 days ago

I met Tom thru Pam. She has been out travel agent for several years. Any time she calls and says, we are going on a cruise, my response would be, here is my credit card. They were so much fun all the time. It took me about 38 seconds to figure out his teasing. They came and spent several days with us in Alabama and of course he found a couple of projects to do around my house while they were here. He got me addicted to rummique! I gave him my recipe for sausage bread, but of course he made it even better, lol. When we learned he was sick, Richard and I prayed like crazy because we could not imagine this world without Tom. We were both devasted when he went to be with Jesus but are comforted to know he will be there to meet us when our time comes.

Edward Czopkiewicz

Friend • 23 days ago

Wow! I didn't find out about this until today! My wife, Vickie, and I only knew him from a few Princess Caribbean cruises we went on. Tom and Pam were a wonderful, beautiful couple together! Tom and I had great conversations about our careers, his phenomenal woodworking projects, politics, and other things. We had a connection from my days going to a Catholic Prep school south of Madison in Edgerton. One thing I quickly learned about Tom was that he loved his family and country. He was a true patriot and God-fearing man and great husband! Pam was his right hand and always seemed to compliment him. We were hoping to bump into him again on one of our cruises! Our hearts go out to Pam, their family, and friend circle! I will have a Mass said for Tom at Mt. Michael Benedictine Abbey in Elkhorn Nebraska. May God grant Tom peace and eternal joy and comfort to his family! Ed and Vickie Czopkiewicz