THOMAS HEITT

SPENCERVILLE — Thomas R. Hiett, 80, of rural Spencerville, died at 5:43 PM Friday, August 19, 2016 at the Vancrest of Delphos Care Center following an extended illness, with his loving family at his side.

He was born May 17, 1936 in Landeck, the son of Raymond C. and Helen Ruen Hiett, who are deceased. On February 15, 1958 he married Janet V. Kaverman, who survives.

Survivors also include his 5 children; Kathy (Ron) Leffel of Spencerville; Michael (Cindy) Hiett of Venedocia; Joyce (Phil) Kortokrax of Findlay; Sue (Leo) Beining of Landeck and Kim (Sam Fittante) Hiett of Findlay; 5 grandchildren; Amber (Adam) Cozad of Shelbyville, KY.; Chad (Fiance' Clarissa Cisco) Leffel of Spencerville; Jay (Sara Oehlhof) Hiett of Venedocia; Staci (Scott) Kill of Spencerville and Rachel Hiett of Venedocia; one great granddaughter; Gwendalyn Cozad; his sister; Rosie A. (Donald) Keller of Wapakoneta; and in-laws; Norman Knippen of Ft. Jennings; Dorothy Heitz of Wapakoneta; Eugene Kaverman of Ft. Jennings; Louis (Martha) Kaverman , Alene Klausing and Ed Utrup , all of Delphos.

Preceding him in death are in-laws; Betty (Leonard) Beckman; Alice Knippen; Margaret (Paul) Pohlman; Robert Heitz; Esther Kaverman; Richard Klausing; Ruth Utrup and Donald Luersman.

He was a lifelong member of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Landeck and a 1954 graduate of Delphos St. Johns High School. Tom was a farmer, it was his way of life and it was a challenging one. There are no days off on the farm, no weekends, no bank holidays, no summer vacations. The livestock need tending no matter what label the calendar assigns. And there is no use trying to schedule convenient times to plow, plant or harvest. Mother Nature dictates, the farmer listens and obliges.And that's what Tom did. Day upon day, week after week, months stretching into years, then decades. A lifetime…. Tom had a duty to his family and to his farm, and he lived it. Tom liked to stay close to home. He knew what he had and enjoyed it, so he didn't need to go searching for anything else.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Tuesday at the Landeck St. John Church with Father Dennis Walsh. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Friends may call from 3 until 8 PM Monday and 9 until 10 AM Tuesday at the Thomas E. Bayliff Funeral Home in Spencerville.

Memorials may be made to the Landeck St. John the Baptist Building Fund.

Condolences may be sent to tbayliff@woh.rr.com