Thomas Charles Vrtis

Thomas Charles Vrtis of Woodbridge, Virginia (formerly of St. Charles, Illinois) passed away at home on January 28, 2017. He was 87.

Tom was born on December 24, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois, the son of Charles and Anna (Kucera) Vrtis. He grew up in La Grange, Illinois, with seven brothers and sisters. After completing his elementary education at St. Francis Xavier School in La Grange and his high school education at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Tom attended Loyola University of Chicago and graduated with a degree in accounting in 1951. Following college, he served two years in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant, and was stationed in Germany as part of the post-WWII allied occupation forces. After returning home, Tom joined the accounting firm Arthur Andersen, which would be the first stop in his lifelong work as an accountant in the Chicagoland area.

The apple of his eye was always his wife, Fritzie (Reinsch) Vrtis, the large family they raised, and the even larger family to which they belonged. Tom and Fritzie were married in 1955 and celebrated 61 years of marriage together. They were blessed with eight children, seventeen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Tom took great pride in his children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments throughout his life, and was always devoted to keeping them tied one to another – and to the extended family – through family reunions. He was a devoted Catholic and founder of the Silver Foxes, a social organization with a religious foundation, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Lake Ridge, Virginia. A loving and caring husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, Tom was also a terrific golfer, a ten-time winner of the Vrtis Cup Golf Tournament, a lover of the outdoors and traveling, an avid swimmer and walker, a patron of the arts, and someone who was always eager to set aside anything to have a conversation.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Fritzie; his eight children (and their spouses), Thomas, Jr. (Christel), Ann (Robert), Monica, Joseph (Lori), Michael (Angela), Peter (Bente), George (Anne), and James (Angie); his seventeen grandchildren, Ian, Nathan, Alexander, Christopher Robin, Nicholas, Zachary, Adam, Jeremy, Christopher Michael, Ella, Patrick, Margaret, Samantha, Harrison, Hayden, Meadow and Henry; his two great-grandchildren, Camden and Saga; his five brothers and sisters, Charles, Martha, Mildred, Mary, and John; and many more relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his eldest sister, Cecilia, and his youngest sister, Susan.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, February 3, from 1:00-3:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm, at the Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, Virginia. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 4, at 10:30am, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 12805 Valleywood Drive, Lake Ridge, Virginia. Tom will be laid to rest alongside his parents in Chicago, Illinois, at a later date.

The family wishes to offer its heartfelt thanks to the many loved ones, friends, physicians, and caregivers who have so generously and kindly contributed to our well-being, especially over the past two years.