Tami Sue Ziesmer

I received a phone call today from my friend Jenny Reinke back in Oshkosh. She told me that a mutual friend from high school, Tami, had passed away on Thursday. She was only 46 years old. Once again I am reminded that just when I am feeling the sorriest for myself, things could be a whole lot worse.

Tami and I went to the same church, St John's Evangelical Lutheran, on Main Street in Oshkosh. Initially we did not go to the same school but when my parents bought the house on the lake when I was in 6th grade I began classes at South Park Middle School around Easter time. Tami was the only person I knew so I naturally gravitated to her. That and the fact that she had the greatest parents in my opinion. Bonnie and Marty were so laid back and easy going, unlike my own parents. Every Wednesday night after confirmation classes Bonnie would ask if I could go to McDonald's with them and my mother always said no. I guess she was afraid that I would get used to doing neat things, which at that age, neat things were going to fast food restaurants.

All through school I was always envious of Tami as she had two things I did not -- really cool parents and spending money. Throughout high school Tami worked at a small beverage mart that her parents owned that was a block away from my grandma's. I remember going there on Friday nights and getting our weekend supply of alcohol and riding with it on my bike in my backpack. Now I'll tell you that riding your bike with a ton of Boone's Farm bottles jangling together is no picnic!

Tami also had an old Lincoln that everyone called "The Beast". I remember going to the outdoor and having to be the one in the trunk as I, as usual, didn't get any money from my parents to get in. A few times I wondered if I would make it out of there alive as the carbon monoxide fumes were so bad!

Right after high school we had a softball team that played for Nigl's bar and Tami and her sister Tracy played on it. I will never forget those nights after the game, drinking .65 bottles of beer and everyone line dancing to "Swingin'" by John Anderson.

Shortly afterward we began to hang out at a bar called Robin Hood's that was a big dart bar. We began by playing steel tip darts and that is where Tami met her husband Dino. They would go on to eventually own a bar in Oshkosh called Dino's that was also a big dart hang out until Dino got sick. I was in Tami and Dino's wedding and my memories of that occasion were the tons of red roses and Tracy fainting and almost taking me down while at the altar because she was pregnant!

Throughout the years I drifted away from Tami although I did continue to see her occasionally at dart tournaments and events. After meeting Bill and deciding to stay away from the bar and darting life I had totally lost touch with her. I am sad that I will not be able to reminisce and share these memories with her.

Tami, thanks for the memories and godspeed.