UPDATE: Mayor Tom Baldini dies unexpectedly, visitation services scheduled

UPDATE: Wednesday, December 27th at 7:00 p.m.

ABC 10 has confirmed that late Mayor Tom Baldini was taken off of life support Monday, following a stroke he suffered on Saturday evening.

Funeral arrangements have been made with Canale-Tonella Funeral Home in Marquette. There will be two visitations: the first will be January 2nd from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and the second will be January 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to noon at St. Michael Catholic Church. Mass will follow the second visitation.

Read his obituary HERE.

MARQUETTE — ABC 10 has just learned from sources that Mayor of Marquette, Tom Baldini, has passed away unexpectedly from a stroke that he suffered a few days ago.

Baldini was a prominent figure in the Marquette community, beginning with his time at Marquette Senior High, where he taught Government and Economics from 1965-83. He was also a part-time instructor at Northern Michigan University.

He joined Governor James Blanchard’s staff as a Special Assistant for U.P. Affairs and Education Advisor in 1984 and returned to the Marquette Public Schools as the Assistant to the Superintendent for Finances and Personnel in 1991. In 1994, President Clinton nominated him and the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment 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.

He also assumed the duties as the U.S. Representative of the U.S. and Canadian Boundary Commission 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.

At the time of his passing, he was an adjunct instructor in the Political Science Department of Northern Michigan University. Appointed by Governor Granholm, he served as a member of the Michigan Technological University Board of Control. He was President of the Marquette Area Public School Foundation and Vice Chair of the Marquette County Community Foundation. He was also President of the Fourth of July Fireworks Committee for the Marquette area.

He was elected to the City Charter Commission in 2011 and the City Commission in 2014 for a three-year term. He was chosen by the City Commission to take over as the Mayor of Marquette on November 13th. He was humbled by the selection and was excited to tackle challenges such as creating jobs, and providing recreational needs for the community.

“I’m very honored, and really humbled about it I have this long allegiance to the city and really feel good about the community,” he said in an interview last month with ABC 10.

We send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.