Thomas Reppe

1918 - 2014

Thomas O. Reppe

Winifred —Thomas Orren Reppe, 95, of Winifred passed into the loving arms of his Savior Tuesday morning Jan. 14, 2014, at a Lewistown Nursing Home of natural causes. Thomas was born July 26, 1918 to Louis and Elnora (Patterson) Reppe in Lansing, Iowa. He grew up on the family farm and was schooled in the Alamakee County schools in Iowa.

On June 21, 1938, he was united in marriage to Marion Marie Schellhammer in Church, Iowa. Tom was a devoted husband to Marion and in June of 2013 they celebrated 75 years of marriage with all seven of their living children, numerous grandchildren and friends in attendance.

After their marriage Tom and Marion leased a farm outside of Lansing, Iowa where their eight children were born. In 1954 they gave up their lease, sold their machinery and livestock and moved to Winifred, MT with their eight children and two squirrels his uncles requested they bring along. There they leased a ranch from his uncles. Tom was a hard worker and a talented carpenter and wood worker. In his slack times he was either remodeling for someone or making furniture. In 1964 the love of building got the best of him so he and Marion bought a house in Winifred and he went into the carpenter business full time. Tom never liked the cold winters of Iowa or Montana so in 1971 they moved to Mesa, AZ. There he worked in a Modular Home factory until he retired. After retirement they spent winters in AZ and summers in Winifred with daughter Shirley Benes. In 2002 both were suffering from poor health, so they moved to Winifred full time where they lived with Shirley until September 2010 when they moved into" Shepherds Way" in Lewistown.

Tom is survived by his wife Marion, sons: Roland Reppe of Lewistown, Roger (Sue) Reppe and Orren (Nancy) Reppe both of Great Falls; four daughters Shirley Benes of Winifred, Darlene (Jerry) Udelhoven of Danville, CA, Jean Halverson of Big Fork and Deloris Udelhoven of Billings; 20 grandchildren, 17 of which survive him; 19 great-grandchildren of which 17 survive him; 7 great-great grandchildren; 2 sister in-laws: Mary Reppe of Lansing and Esther Reppe of Eugene, OR; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Tom was preceded in death by both parents; five brothers; 2 sisters; one daughter Carolyn Sunkenberg; grandsons Kevin Thompson, Timothy Reppe, Jerry Hamilton; great grandson Johnathin Huck.

Funeral Services for Thomas O. Reppe will be Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 10:30 am at the American Lutheran Church in Winifred with granddaughter Rev. Audrey Rydbom officiating with burial to follow in the Winifred Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday Jan. 17, at the church from 5-8 p.m.

Friends are asked to make memorials to the American Lutheran Church of Winifred or the charity of one's choice and left at the Cloyd Funeral Home.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.cloydfuneralhome.com.