Thomas Tibor Obituary

Thomas Vincent Tibor, 93, died in his sleep in the early morning hours of Jan. 8, 2005, at St. Marys, Ga. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 14, at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Hebron. Burial will be at St. Peter and Paul Cemetery, near Hebron.

Visitation will be held at 4 p.m. at the church, where vigil services will be held at 7 p.m.

Tom was born in a sod house on the North Dakota prairie on Aug. 20, 1911. He was the seventh child of 11 children born to John and Mary (Hanacek) Tibor. One of his most vivid childhood memories was of the U.S. Cavalry buying horses in the neighborhood and keeping them in his father's pasture in preparation for World War I. He was surprised and amazed to live long enough to see men walk on the moon.

Tom married Minnie Wagner, the love of his life, May 30, 1935. They were married for over 61 years. Minnie died in 1997.

Tom trained as an auto body and fender repairman and worked for several local car dealerships. He was a welding instructor for the Army Air Corps during World War II and opened his own body repair shop after the war. He contracted lead poisoning from the auto paint and left the shop to work for the Power County Highway District. In 1960 he was one of the first people hired at Lamb-Weston potato processing plant. After his retirement in 1974, he and Minnie spent many years traveling to visit relatives and went to Europe twice. After visiting in Czechoslovakia he was grateful his father and mother had immigrated to the United States.

Tom and Minnie moved to American Falls, Idaho, in 1939, and both were active in the community. Tom was a city councilman; served on the board of Schiltz Memorial Hospital; as a senior elections judge; as president of the Power County Rod and Gun Club, on the Fifth District Mental Health Board, as a trustee and on the council of St. Mary's Catholic Church, and was active in Boy Scouts receiving the Silver Beaver and the St. George medal. Tom was among the first inductees into the Tendoy Council's Scouters Hall of Fame. He was a charter member of the Southeast Idaho Gem and Mineral Society and enjoyed rock collecting and lapidary work. Tom loved hunting and fishing, which is why he moved to Idaho.

In July 2002, Tom sold his home in American Falls and moved to St. Marys to live with his daughter Karen and family.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife; a son, Dale, who died shortly after birth; his parents; all his brothers and sisters; and a son-in-law, Joe Calanni.

He is survived by his children, Jim (Ann) Tibor, Anchorage, Alaska, Janet (Don) Stricklan, Panama City, Fla., Pat Calanni, Killeen, Texas, Karen (Hampton) Jenkins, Kingsland, Ga., John (Loretta) Tibor, Anchorage, and Jerry (Jane) Tibor, also of Anchorage. Tom is also survived by 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Donations may be made to St. Peter and Paul Cemetery Trust, Dakota Community Bank, P.O. Box 431, Hebron, ND 58638.