Thomas "Tom" Neil Buchholtz

NORFOLK – Funeral service for Thomas N. “Tom” Buchholtz, 59, of Norfolk, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 6, 2026 at the Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk. Rev. Arin Hess will be officiating the service. Interment will be at the Prospect Hill Cemetery, Norfolk. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday, also at Stonacek Funeral Chapel. Tom passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at the University of Nebraska Medicine Center in Omaha. Stonacek Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Tom was born on February 25, 1966 in Norfolk, Nebraska to John and Carolyn (O’Connell) Buchholtz. He attended grade school in Norfolk, then attended Junior High in Madison and graduated from Madison High School in 1985. After high school Tom received his associates degree from Northeast Community College in Heating and Air Conditioning. After his education, Tom established his own business at the age of 22 years old, Metro Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning in Norfolk, which he still owned and operated. Tom married Bernadette DeBacker on March 29, 1991 in North Sioux City, South Dakota. Tom was the type of man that would drop everything to help you. He was everyone’s lifeline. He was always the strongest man you knew physically and mentally. Tom’s spirit was always known wherever he was. If you ever washed your car at the old Jet Wash and Tom was outside mowing, you weren’t safe. He would love to sneak up to the car wash and just scare random people. He was the life of the party, the jokester. As much as Tom loved scaring people, he was the most skittish of them all. People that knew Tom well, knew he would jump out of his socks with the slightest scare, and oh it was fun to pay him back. Tom was a hunter, loved camping, and raised extremely obedient dogs. His children share memories of Tom riding wheelies on his dirt bike with them on the handlebars. Tom’s heart was as big as his personality or beard depending on the season. He loved his family and adored his grandchildren with all of his heart. Tom had a rare trait of being a jack of all trades while also mastering all of them. Tom’s faith was palpable. He knew and loved Jesus and made it known to everybody. Survivors include his wife Bernadette Buchholtz of Norfolk, daughter Lynn (Brandon) Anderson of Norfolk and their children Lauren, Brynlee, Ryker, and Rehgan, son Tommy (Alyssa) Zegers of Norfolk and their children August and Sawyer, son Keaton (Zoe) Buchholtz of Winside and their children Jonah, Thomas, and Bo, daughter Mariah (Dylan) Klassen of Humphrey and their daughter Adalynn with 1 baby on the way, sister Tracy (Rob) Backer of Battle Creek, sister-in-law’s and brother-in-law’s, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Carolyn Buchholtz, sister Kimberly Masters, brother Todd Buchholtz, nephew Brandon Ainsworth, step dad Wilburn Masters, and aunts and uncles. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

Tributes

Thomas "Tom" Neil Buchholtz

February 25, 1966 - January 31, 2026