Thomas Edwin Pawlak, 59, of Newburg, died October 25, 2011, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, with his wife by his side. Tom was born November 21, 1951, in Grinnell, the son of Henry August and Margaret Claire 'Peg' Finley Pawlak. He was raised in Grinnell and was a 1970 graduate of Grinnell High School. On December 25, 2005, he was married to Marsha Crawford, at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Grinnell. The couple lived in Newburg. Tom was employed with his father at Industrial Beverage in Grinnell most of his life until the business was sold in February of 2005. Since then he actively sold guns and misc. supplies through his website, Damn Big Yank Trading Company. He was a life-time member of the NRA and a life-time member of the Iowa Street Rod Association, holding Office of Finance in 1979 and 1980 and because of his outstanding performance in that office he was elected president in 1982 and then again in 1992. Tom was an avid fan of John Wayne. He loved trains, western movies and guns. He loved his big boy toys as well. He owned a 1939 Ford sedan, a 1948 Ford pickup truck and a 1976 Datsun. He was a people person and he made friends easily, if you knew him, you know he had a knack for talking. He had stories to tell and shared them when he could. He enjoyed stand-up comedy and was an avid music fan of Marty Robbins and Toby Keith. Survivors include his loving wife, Marsha of Newburg; his father, Henry Pawlak of Grinnell; one brother, Henry (Joyce) Pawlak of San Diego, California; one sister, Markijean (Mike) Graham of Newton; and two nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his mother.