Thomas "Tom" Lester Oswald

Thomas L. "Tom" Oswald, 90, of Roseville, MN, passed away in his home on June 2, 2025.

Tom was born on January 7, 1935, in Milwaukee, WI, to Lester and Ruth Oswald – one of four children:  older sister, Nancy; identical twin, Jim; and younger brother, Bob. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1957 with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Natural Science, Tom served in the U.S. Navy as an Engineering Officer for two years. After his honorable discharge in 1959, Tom started a nearly 40-year career as a Process Engineer and Manager in the automotive storage battery industry, including 28 years with St. Paul’s Gould National Batteries (GNB) and its subsequent iterations. Tom was a significant contributor to all major changes to the design and manufacturing of automotive storage batteries over his career, including seven U.S. patents.

It was at GNB that Tom met the love of his life, Lynnette Weberg (Lynn). They married in 1967 and settled in Roseville, where they raised two daughters and one son.

Tom will be remembered by family and friends for being hard-working and wise. He had a dry sense of humor and was a stickler for good grammar. He could (and did) fix anything, was talented at woodworking, enjoyed fishing, and was known for keeping a perfectly-manicured lawn. Most of all, Tom was a good man, a devoted husband, a supportive father, a proud grandfather, and a smitten great-grandfather. He practiced what he preached:  “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Tom is survived by his children Jennifer (Mike) McCann, Nick (Angel), and Becky (Keith) Day; his grandchildren Brandon (Kelsey), Breanna (Wes) Peterson, Melissa (Kyle) Zugschwert, Molly McCann, Katie Day, Zach (Bri) McBride, Isaiah (Mel) McBride, Hannah (Robby) Lind, and Paige Pariseau; and his great-grandchildren Kaylee, Leo, Madelynn, Audrey, Norah, and Riley. He is also survived by his only cousin Diane (John) Stef and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his wife, Lynn; parents, Lester and Ruth; sister, Nancy (Milton) Beheim; and brothers, Jim and Bob.

Please join us anytime between 3:00 – 7:00 PM on Thursday, June 12, at Cedarholm Golf Course Community Building, 2323 Hamline Ave. N, Roseville, to honor Tom’s memory. Private family interment at a later date.

Tom requested that any memorial contributions be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – a disease that took the lives of his father, his only sister, and his loving wife.

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