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Thomas L. Baldini

MARQUETTE, MI – Thomas L. Baldini, 74, of Marquette, died Tuesday afternoon, December 26, 2017 surrounded by his family at U.P. Health System-Marquette.

Tom was born December 19, 1943 in Rolling Mill Location in Negaunee, a son of the late Arthur and Mary (Parlato) Baldini. He was a 1961 graduate of St. Paul’s High School in Negaunee and a 1965 graduate of Northern Michigan University.

Baldini was a teacher of government and economics at Marquette Senior High School from 1965-83. He joined Gov. James Blanchard’s staff as a special assistant for U.P. Affairs and Education Adviser in 1984 and returned to the Marquette Public Schools as the assistant to the superintendent for Finances and Personnel in 1991.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated him to be the U.S. chair of the International Joint Commission for Canada and the United States managing all of the waters shared by the two countries.

Baldini also assumed the duties as the U.S. representative of the U.S. and Canadian Boundary Commission in 1998. In 2003, he was appointed by U. S. Congressman Bart Stupak, 1st Congressional District of Michigan, to be his district director and retired from federal service in 2010.

Baldini was currently a part-time instructor in the Political Science Department at Northern Michigan University and a former member of the Michigan Technological University Board of Control, which he was appointed to by former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Baldini was elected to the Marquette City Charter Commission in 2011 and the Marquette City Commission in 2014 for a three-year term. He was elected mayor in November, switching places with Mayor Pro-Tem, David Campana, who was mayor at the time.

Tom was a member of Marquette County Economic Club, the Marquette County Paisano Club, the Negaunee Lions Club and both the Michigan and Marquette County Democratic Parties.

Survivors include one sister, Jeanne (Jim) Flannery of Negaunee; a niece, Debbie (Roy) Winnen of Appleton, WI; two nephews, Michael (Alicia) Flannery of Menominee, MI and Dean Flannery of Green Bay, WI; great nephews and niece, Luke and Bryce Winnen, Liesl Flannery, and Zach Makela.

The Baldini family will greet relatives and friends on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home where a parish prayer service will be recited at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Visitation will also take place on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 12 Noon at St. Michael Catholic Church in Marquette where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the church at noon with the Rev. Greg Heikkala officiating. A luncheon will be served in the Great Lakes Rooms at NMU immediately following the Mass.

Pallbearers will be Dax Richer, John Torreano, David Torreano, Howard Cohodas, Greg Zyburt, Mike Koskiniemi, Mike Angeli, and David Campana.

Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy are kindly asked to consider a scholarship to be established in Tom’s name with the Marquette Area Public Schools Education Foundation, 1201 W. Fair Ave., Marquette, MI 49855.

The Canale-Tonella Funeral Home is assisting the Baldini family where memories may be shared at canalefuneral.com.