Thomas Edward Nietupski
Thomas Edward Nietupski, age 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, under
the compassionate care of LECOM and the Visiting Nurses Association of Erie.
Thomas was born in Erie, PA on August 22, 1941, son of the late Edward and Wanda
(Kawczynski) Nietupski.
Thomas graduated from Cathedral Preparatory School in 1959, where he enjoyed
playing water polo, and was noted in his senior yearbook as “seldom without a smile
and leaves you with a laugh”. Following his education, Thomas began working for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation while also working part-time at the Szkyenski Grape Farm. He later went on to build a dedicated career as a Maintenance Mechanic with American Sterilizer Corporation, where he worked for 40 years, from 1963 until his retirement in 2003. In addition to his full-time career, he owned and maintained seven apartment rentals in Erie, as well as operating a Rupp Snowmobile sales business and Tom’s Lawnmower Repair Service.
In his younger years, he enjoyed hunting, riding his motorcycle and snowmobiles, building homemade dune buggies, and attending car races. In his later years, he enjoyed maintaining his property by brush-hogging fields, feeding deer, planting vegetable gardens, and cutting wood. He was always known by his family to be fixing something around the house and driving around the property in his side-by-side.
He will sadly be missed by his wife, Shirley, of 66 years, his two children, Michele Beckman (William) and Jeffrey Nietupski; eight grandchildren, and two great- grandchildren. He was the oldest of four children, and is survived by his sister, Nancy Munson of Brocton, NY, and two brothers, Joseph Nietupski (Tami) of Phoenix, AZ, and James Nietupski (Robin) of Philadelphia, PA. The family will think of him and smile when his favorite song is played, “Seven Spanish Angels” by Willie Nelson & Ray Charles.
A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Donations in his honor may be made to the Greenfield Township Fire Department. Please send condolences to Askins Cremation Funeral Services, 8354 Wattsburg Rd., Erie, PA 16509.