Thomas Alan Kirk passed away on December 26, 2024 at Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center in Defiance, Ohio following a long battle with vascular dementia. He maintained his kind disposition and humor until the end.
Tom was born on September 19, 1949 in Bryan, Ohio to the late Lyle D. and Beatrice M. (Hart) Kirk. On March 2, 1974 he married Christine D. Rozell in Montpelier, Ohio and she survives.
Tom was a 1967 graduate of Montpelier High School and obtained his associates degree in industrial design from Tri-State College in Angola, Indiana in 1969.
Tom proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Initially stationed at Fort Cambell, Kentucky and Fort Carson, Colorado, he trained as an artillery ammo driver.
Tom was sent to Hanau, Hesse, Germany (6th Battalion 40th Field Artillery Regiment, assigned to the 3rd Armored Division), where he served as the battalion and legal clerk.
A lifelong Montpelier resident, Tom was employed at Powers and Sons, rising from a test lab engineer to a shift supervisor, engineer, quality assurance manager, finally retiring as a manufacturing engineer in 2015, after 39 years of service.
He previously had worked for a short time at Aro Corporation as a design drafts man. He was a previous member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Edon and most recently joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Defiance.
An active member of the Montpelier community until his move to Defiance in 2021, Tom was a longtime member and past president of Montpelier Rotary in 1988-1989.
When voters approved construction of a new pre-K-12 school in 2001, Tom was a proud member of the Montpelier School Board. He served two terms from 1994-2002. Tom was also appointed to the Four County Career Center Board of Education, serving from 1996 until 2002.
Further memberships included the Montpelier Moose, and the American Legion. He was an active member of the Williams County Gun Club, where he served as treasurer for many years.
Tom took great joy in life. He was an avid Michigan college football fan. In his early years, he was a season ticket holder and routinely attended home games in the fall. Tom enjoyed trap shooting and could be found volunteering for various trap shooting events and competitions.
He was an active supporter of his children and grandchildren’s sports and music activities, and he could often be found volunteering his time coaching his kid’s youth sports.
Another important place in his life was his yearly vacation at Fort Myers Beach, Florida where he made so many great memories with his neighbors and friends.
In addition to his wife, Christine Kirk of Defiance, Tom is survived by two children, Alyssia (Brian) McDowell and Aaron (Shannon) Kirk both of Defiance; seven grandchildren, Maci, Brock, Max, Lyla, Alec, Baeden and Emersyn; one great granddaughter, Penelope; brother, Fred Kirk of Westland, Michigan; sister-in-law, Denise (Phil) Muehlfeld of Montpelier; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, James Jerger; and sister-in-law, Georgeen Kirk.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 2, 2025 from 2-8 pm at the Thompson Funeral Home on Main Street in Montpelier. A memorial service will take place on Friday, January 3, 2024 at 11:00 am at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Montpelier with Pastor Dave Brobston to officiate. Tom will be buried at Riverside Cemetery in Montpelier with military honors presented by the Montpelier Veterans.
Memorial contributions may be given in Tom’s memory to the Williams County Gun Club or the Montpelier Area Foundation. Condolences can be left for the family at www.thethompsonfuneralhome.com.