Thomas Mott

Thomas "Tom" Mott, 82, was raised in Mt. Prospect, IL, the middle son of Bill and Grace Mott. A graduate of Prospect High School, he received his bachelor’s degree from Culver Stockton college in Canton, Missouri where he was also a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Post-college, Tom began a procurement career at International Harvester/Hough, where he worked for over 20 years, and most importantly met the love of his life, Jackie Zelent. Tom and Jackie married on October 21, 1967, and in 1969 purchased their first home in Grayslake, Illinois, which would become their hometown permanently throughout their 53-year marriage. From there, Tom and Jackie raised three kids and welcomed seven grandchildren.

After a 30-year procurement career, Tom pivoted and began a second career as a teacher’s aide at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, IL, which brought him joy and proved big change was possible. Even in his retirement, Tom demonstrated his appreciation of the WTHS community by continuing to serve as substitute teacher for numerous years.

Tom was a family man, enjoying family dinners around the table, tending his prolific vegetable garden with the kids, and appreciated weekends featuring a neatly mowed lawn, two clean cars every Saturday morning, and a couple cold ones. Family get-togethers were frequent, as well as regular drop-ins with lifelong friends. Summer meant grilling on the deck, Cub games on the TV, and family vacations in Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin, a small Northwoods town featuring morning fishing trips, long afternoon boat rides, and visiting quaint supper clubs. In their retirement, Tom and Jackie would also spend a month every spring on Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida, their “Northwoods of the south.”

Losing Jackie to cancer in May 2020 was devastating to Tom, who battled advancing blindness and other health challenges since her death. Still, Tom was a strong-willed man who persevered and found another great group of friends at Victory Lakes Senior Community in Lindenhurst, Illinois since 2023, and he was grateful for dinners with friends and meeting up with the guys there at the Pub. Ultimately, he was granted his final, and longstanding wish of reuniting with Jackie on Friday, August 21st, 2026.

Tom is survived by his three children Holly (Alec) Schueneman, Andrew (Nekea) Mott, and Adam (Erin, deceased) Mott, and his beloved grandchildren Levi and Nolan Schueneman (Holly), Morgan, Aubrey and Elayna Mott (Andrew), and Brooklyn and Connor Mott (Adam).

Tom is preceded in death by his mother and father Grace and William Mott, his brothers James and Robert Mott, his daughter-in-law Erin (Carr) Mott, and his beloved wife, Jackie.

A celebration of life will be announced and take place at a later date.