Thomas Joseph Dal Santo

Thomas J. Dal Santo went to be with his family in Heaven on January 29th, 2022.
Tom was born on October 24th, 1953, in Rockford, IL to Frank and Johann (Colombo) Dal Santo. He was the second born of five kids. He graduated from Auburn West High School where he swam and ran cross country. Tom was known in high school as the Fish Whisperer; he would feed fish at Lake Monoa. He would continue this hobby by having a fish pond on his property where he always looked forward to feeding the fish daily with his kids and grandkids. After high school, he attended Northland College in Ashland, WI. While at school, he enjoyed many canoe trips in the Boundary Waters and swimming in Lake Superior.
After graduating, Tom moved back home to Northern Illinois and started his business, Northland Environmental Laboratory. He tested wastewater samples for numerous companies in Northern IL and Southern WI. One company was Greenberg Laundry. Through the owner, Paul, he met his wife, Kris.
Tom and Kris were married on June 13th, 1987. They had six kids together. Tom loved his kids and spent many hours dreaming up endless projects and fun things for them. He spent many years, even up to this year, building a trail through the woods on his property and delighted in letting his kids walk through it in the dark with candles. He also constructed a toboggan chute on another part of the property, which is still being used today by his kids and grandkids.
Tom also had a gift for turning a dime into a dollar. He loved going to estate sales and buying scrap metal. Many times, he called his kids to help him get some metal things out of the dumpster. Tom was always willing to help his kids with anything, especially if it involved driving. He had a knack for taking any 4-hour drive and easily doubling it. He also loved driving with his mom, Johann, on many gambling road trips. All six kids would do anything for him: from splitting wood for his wood burner, sorting through wheat pennies, and even keeping a greased pig from sliding down the hill while prepping for a pig roast.
Tom was preceded in death by his father (Frank), mother (Johann), brother (Frank), sister (Debby), nephew (Tim), close friends Bob Wilks, Denny Dettman, and Dave Hamel.
Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Kris, children Allison (Justin) Keller, Andrew Dal Santo, Bradley Dal Santo, Peter (Brittany) Dal Santo, Becky (Brandon Morris) Dal Santo, Amy (Alexander) Nytko. His brother, Mark Dal Santo, sister, Mindy Dal Santo. Grandchildren, Elijah, Emma, Easton, and Elaina Keller, and Baby D (coming July 2022). Numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles. The Mid-West Poker League members Randy Hanson, Dale Archer, Bruce Archer, Randy Hawker, Dave Vitale, and Greg Peterson.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.
The visitation will be held on Saturday, February 5th, 2022, at Fitzgerald Funeral Home (3910 North Rockton Ave., Rockford, IL 61103) from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will follow at Willowbrook Middle School (6605 Prairie Hill Rd., S. Beloit, IL 61080) from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.