Sean Cronin, popular Wisconsin weatherman, dies Saturday at age 60
Cronin worked in Green Bay from 1984 to 1986 and after a stop in Reno, came to Wausau in 1988. He worked at WAOW from 1988 to 1999.
Sean Cronin, popular Wisconsin weatherman, dies Saturday at age 60 Cronin worked in Green Bay from 1984 to 1986 and after a stop in Reno, came to Wausau in 1988. He worked at WAOW from 1988 to 1999. Check out this story on htrnews.com: https://www.wausaudailyherald.com/story/news/2019/02/03/sean-cronin-popular-wisconsin-waow-weatherman-dies-age-60/2758742002/
Mitchell A. Skurzewski, Wausau Daily Herald Published 12:29 p.m. CT Feb. 3, 2019 | Updated 2:49 p.m. CT Feb. 3, 2019
Holding on to the shoulder of his son Steven, Sean Cronin, watches the result of Tuesdayàs nights election. Cronin had been running for the U. S. House of Representatives. Sean Cronin died on Saturday. He was 60 years old. (Photo: B. A. Rupert (1999))
Note: The story has been updated with funeral and visitation hours for Sean Cronin.
WAUSAU - Popular former weatherman Sean Cronin, a fixture in many homes in the Wausau area for over a decade, died after long-running health issues Saturday, family members confirmed. He was 60 years old.
Cronin was remembered not just for his weather reports but for entertaining segments, like Backyard BBQ or his Christmas lights segment.
"He was a big part, and I don't think people understand, the impact he had on people's lives," said Sean's wife, Maggie Cronin, on Saturday night in a phone interview. "Those skits really showed his personality ... he loved people and could learn people's story in five minutes."
Sean Cronin graduated from Western Illinois in 1983. Cronin worked in Green Bay from 1984 to 1986 and after a stop in Reno, came to Wausau in 1988. He worked at WAOW from 1988 to 1999.
After his career as a weatherman, Cronin ran as a Republican candidate for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000.
Maggie said a few of the family members had to chuckle that Sean made it past midnight to pass around 12:45 a.m. on Groundhog's Day, "the weatherman's holiday."
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Maggie Cronin said Sean started his passion for weather when he was five years old and a tornado went through his hometown of Oak Lawn, Illinois.
Sean Cronin was actually born in an orphanage and was adopted by Kevin (Ted) and Mildred Cronin, Maggie said.
Sean Cronin (standing) was a beloved weatherman in Wausau from 1988 to 1999 and lived in Rothschild. He died on Saturday. He was 60 years old. (Photo: File)
"We can't thank his mother enough to have the courage to give Sean up...and to Ted and Mille for giving him life," Maggie said.
It has been a difficult few weeks for the Cronin family. Sean's father died Monday and his brother, Kevin Cronin Jr., the lead singer for R.E.O. Speedwagon, delivered the eulogy on Saturday morning.
"He changed the eulogy, it was an amazing eulogy because we were here watching on FaceTime," Maggie Cronin said. "He changed it from Sean was fighting to Sean lost his health battle and passed away and the whole church gasped. This has been a very tough time for us."
But the memories live on for Maggie, she said. She and Sean enjoyed memorable vacations, time with their kids and recently became grandparents.
Sean and Maggie were married for 33 years. They met in 1984 while Sean was working in Green Bay and Maggie was a student at St. Norbert University. She chose weather for her unit as a student teacher and asked Sean to come in to speak to the class. They went on a date a month later and in 17 months they were married, she said.
Sean and Maggie have three children: Steven, 27, and twin daughters Anne and Jennifer, both 25. They also have a 1-year-old granddaughter, Emilee.
"He loved what he did. Even recently he'd go storm chasing with his daughters ... in fact, he told everyone in the hospital, all the nurses, that the last polar vortex that hit was 25 years ago, when we took our twins home. There were a lot of crazy signs all week."
Sean Cronin, left, a former weatherman in Wausau, died on Saturday after long-running health issues. He was 60 years old. (Photo: File/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
Cronin endured some complicated health problems since leaving his television weather duties. He had his right leg amputated in 2013 and suffered from diabetic acute muscle infarction, which affects the legs mostly and is very painful. But Cronin never lost his personality, Maggie said.
"He loved his family, he loved weather and he loved the community," Maggie said. "He loved to talk and get to know people."
Visitation hours will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Brainard Funeral Home in Weston. The funeral is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Therese Church in Rothschild.
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