Thomas Harry Hurst

Thomas Harry Hurst, 76, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin, at 11:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Born August 15, 1949, in Wisconsin, he was the son of Floyd George and Norine Dorothy (Vandenberg) Hurst. On August 12, 2000, he was married to Kleo Baruth Kritz at their home in Fitchburg.

After graduating from Kimberly High School, Tom attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in 1971. A man of diverse tastes, he majored in political science with three minors: sociology, philosophy, and religion. In order to make a living as he put it, he furthered his education at UW-Whitewater to earn a Master’s of Science in Accountancy in 1978, followed by his CPA accreditation in 1986. In 1995 he became a Certified Government Financial Manager while working for the State of Wisconsin, Office of the Commissioner of Securities as an Internal Auditor. Working in many different departments over the years, Tom retired from the State of Wisconsin where his last role made him responsible for administering loans from the State Trust Fund Loan Program to Wisconsin municipalities and school districts.

Tom enjoyed reading the newspaper each day, furthering his expansive knowledge of local and world politics, history, and sports--especially Australian football. He loved keeping up with current events through printed newspapers and his iPad, but he also looked forward to different nightly news programs on his favorite tv stations. While keeping up with the facts of every situation and analyzing them to the core, his sense of humor was prominent with his reactions to the satirical form of political cartooning, which he enjoyed sharing with his wife and nephew. He was an expert at often being the “first one to get the joke,” and loved the creative wit displayed in the often subtle but poignant images.

Keeping up with the news was a daily ritual, but paramount to everything was his love for his wife Kleo and their family of feline friends. Each beginning with an “F” in their name (with one exception), Tom was blessed over the years with many wonderful four-legged companions. whom he adored and worshipped: Asoka (his cat when he met Kleo), Foible, Finagle, Frazzle, Felony, Folly, Felicity (the walking dustmop), Feckelly, Freeze, Finder, Farrago, Fiona, Feather, Fiasco (the golden girl), Firenze, Fumee(the black succubus), Feisty, FlowerBlossom, Fellie, Farrah, Fairytail, and Fantasy. (He said that he liked F-words.) He and Kleo also became caretakers for feline-nieces Miss Kitty, Kasha, and Keep’er after the death of his sister-in-law, Karen Baruth Kritz. He always quipped that he was the only Tom in the cathouse. Over the years, his animals received the best healthcare plan available in Wisconsin. He always said the greatest irony in the world was the two word phrase, “Free Kittens!”

Tom was a private individual who enjoyed staying at home most of the time; however, he enjoyed a Friday night fish fry (or Wednesday…or whatever night it was served), trips to Spring Green to American Players Theatre, a nice night out for dinner at a steakhouse, and his annual pilgrimage out-of-state to Indiana for Christmas at his nephew’s. Several weeks ago he was able to see his favorite performance of Irish dancing and music, Riverdance, at the Overture Center.

Survivors include his wife and companion of 44 years, Kleo Baruth Kritz, Fitchburg; sister-in-law, Melody Hurst, Waupaca; uncle, Ron Vandenberg (Bette), Combined Locks; niece, Amy Hurst (Reggie Kempf), Weyauwega; nephews, Adam Hurst, Appleton, and Bradley A. McClain, Peru, IN; and great-nephews, Jordan and Tyler Johnson, both Waupaca.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his only brother, Jerald Phillip James Hurst, who passed in August 2025.

In accordance with his wishes, there will be no formal services. He will be remembered by those he loved and those who loved him for his intellect, wit, and companionship. His life will be celebrated and remembered though the sharing of memories as we enjoy fine dining experiences, or fish fries, and as we keep his tradition of lifelong learning active with our daily intake of news, sports, culture, and laughter as we look for the best cartoon each day.

If you wish to share an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to Underdog Pet Rescue or Madison Cat Project or your favorite cat-related charity.

McClain Funeral Home, Denver, Indiana, has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences can be shared online at www.mcclainfh.com.

1. Underdog Pet Rescue
2. 2508 S. Stoughton Rd.
3. Madison, WI 53716
4. https://www.underdogpetrescue.org
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6. Madison Cat Project
7. 3205 Latham Dr.
8. Madison, WI 53713
9. https://www.madisoncatproject.org
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