Thomas DePue

Athens Thomas Andrew DePue, 70, of Athens, passed away on Friday, April 28, 2023 at Riverside Methodist Hospital after a brief illness. He was the youngest of six children born to the late Henry and Mary Lawson DePue of Athens.

In the very early months of his life Tom was discovered to have cerebral palsy. His Mother and some others in Athens promptly founded Beacon School for those with disabilities and Tom attended from infancy until graduation.

After graduation from Beacon Tom was employed at the ATCO Sheltered Workshop until May of 2011. He painted with Passion Works and made pens. His true forte was the painting for Passion Works and his most famous work of art is the "Big Headed Girl" he helped create. He collected many pop can tops for the backs of the Passion Flowers for their hanging.

Upon leaving ATCO Tom went to work at Echoing Connections until his retirement. He labeled bags for Shagbark and participated in the activities at Echoing Connections, and many considered him the Mayor.

Tom was very active while at Beacon and ATCO garnering numerous bowling trophies and participating in the Special Olympics. He loved a parade and a good party.

As a young boy Tom regularly attended the Alexander Presbyterian Church and enjoyed listening to the choir and his mother play the piano. It was a great spiritual and social time for him also. He travelled extensively through the country with his parents and in the summers the family could be found camping at the Indian Mound Campground. He spent many summers as a camper at the Echoing Hills Campground.

Tom was a Cincinnati Reds and Dallas Cowboys fan. He could converse about both and give you a difficult time if you were not a fan. He did travel with Echoing Meadows to Dallas to enjoy a Cowboys game and spent time there with his brother Ben who lived in the area.

Tom was certainly social. If he could not remember your name, he would say "Howdy Stranger" and you'd no longer be a stranger but engaged in lively conversation.

He had a great sense of humor and liked to crack jokes with his staff and put a smile on everyone's face. He made it a point to let his housemates know that he cared about each and every one of them, ending each day with a "good-night" to all.

Tom loved his family dearly and spoke about them regularly. He would say he loved his brother Bob and missed his parents. He knew his parents were looking over him and would someday see him again.

Tom is survived by two brothers: Jack (Nancy) DePue, Florida; Robert (Jill) DePue, Athens, Ohio; two sisters: Mary Virginia (Robert Kupsch) DePue, Missouri; Martha Sue (Mark) Lane, Athens, Ohio; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, several aunts, uncles and cousins. His "two little girls", great nieces Morgan and Sophia Atherton who were most special to him, and he held close to his heart and often by his side.

Beside his parents and grandparents, Tom is predeceased by his brother and sister-in-law, Ben and Carol DePue, brother -in-law Jerry Perry, Aunt Martha and Uncle Ed Volkomener, niece Carey Colleen Atherton, his best friend John and many other long time friends and family that he has missed and remembered.

Tom certainly had a life well lived and would not want you to be sad. A celebration of his life is being planned for a later date. Arrangements are with Jagers & Sons Funeral Home, Athens. Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at www.jagersfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers please help a stranger, buy someone a juicy steak or coffee milkshake (Tom's favorites) or donate to the charity of your choice in honor of Thomas A. DePue.

None of us are assured tomorrow so be thankful for the time we have together. Thomas DePue