Obituary of Thomas A. Pishos

Thomas A Pishos "Tommy" "Nasi" was born Athanasius Pishof in Greece 11-6-1934. When Tom was 3 years old, his family came America on the last voyage of the Queen Mary before she was used to transport troops during World War II. Tom attended elementary through high school in Mt Pleasant, MI. He helped his father in the family restaurant "Paul's Famous". Tom excelled at baseball, football, basketball, and track in high school. He graduated from Central MI University with a BS and Masters degree in education. Tom and his first wife, Patricia and their son Paul moved to CA in 1960 where Tom taught 4th, 5th and 6th grades until 1967 when he became an elementary school principal in the Newark CA school district. In 1973 Tom invested his teacher's pension in the 7th Round Table Pizza restaurant ever opened. In the next 9 years he and his partner opened 30 more restaurants. He split from his ex-partner with 16 restaurants in 1985. His new partners, ex-wife Patricia Graham and son Paul increased the number of restaurants to 30 between 1985 and 2000. Tom semi-retired after Paul took over the operations in 2001, after which Paul ran the business into the ground and bankrupt both his parents. Tom married Bonnie Brekke in 1986, who worked as an accountant in their businesses. In 1988 Tom and Bonnie purchased a home, intended for retirement, on Lava Creek near Fall River Mills, CA. Tom bought and learned to fly a single-engine airplane, got his instrument rating, and shortened their commute from a 5 hour drive to a 1 hour 15 minute flight. Bill Hanna (Hanna-Barbera, Yogi Bear's creators) was their next door neighbor. Bill had watched Tom flyfish and catch fish on Lava Creek when no one else could. Bill had Tom give him a lesson to catch trout with wet flies and trolling. In 1993, Tom and Bonnie purchased a 620 acre parcel near Lovells, MI, that became Valhalla Game & Guest Ranch. What a joy for Tom to develop the property into a premier deer and elk hunting lodge. They sold the property in 2004, returning to Lodi, CA. Up until 2008, Tom golfed at every opportunity. In 2013, Bonnie and then Tommy joined The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints. After the first attendance, Tom said "there's so much love here". He didn't miss a Sunday until he could no longer attend due to wandering. Tom developed dementia and moved to a memory caregavility in Stockton, CA, April 30, 2019, where he lived with daily visits from Bonnie until Covid-19 isolated everyone. On July 5th, 2020, Tommy had breakfast in his room at 8:30 am. He was tired and laid down for a rest. He never woke up. Tom is survived by his wife, Bonnie (Lodi) and his estranged son, Paul (Valley Springs). He was preceded in death by his father, Paul, mother, Vasilik, brother Sammy, and 2 sisters, Connie and Helen. If you wish to leave a memorial for Tom Pishos, please consider Hospice of San Joaquin, 3888 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95204 (a non-profit hospice in San Joaquin County) (209) 957-3888 or www.hospicesj.org