Thomas J. Hruby

Thomas J. Hruby, 74, passed away peacefully on Dec. 27 to return to our Lord. Our loving husband, father and grandfather courageously fought a long-term illness. He was an inspiration spiritually, mentally and physically to his family and to all who knew him.

Thomas J. Hruby was born in St. Joseph, Mo., on Aug. 21, 1934, to V. George Hruby and Katherine H. (Teresinski) Hruby, who have both predeceased him. He married Joan Marie Fisher on Oct. 20, 1956, and they have four children, Jodie K. Hruby, of Brussels, Belgium, Jill M. Hruby (husband, Stewart Griffith), of Livermore, Calif., John T. Hruby (wife, Cindy), of Fremont, Mich., and Thomas J. Hruby Jr. (wife, Rebecca), of Cartersville, Ga.; and 12 grandchildren. A brother, George Bernard, died in infancy. He is survived by two sisters, Dolores Ann Schoeneck (husband, Thomas J.) of St. Joseph, Mo., and Naples, Fla., and Mary Joan Sova (husband, James J.) of Hampton, Va.

Mr. Hruby graduated from Christian Brothers High School in St. Joseph, Mo., and received his degree from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in Flint, Mich. General Motors Institute is a cooperative education facility, and Mr. Hruby co-oped at the Defiance, Ohio, Plant of Central Foundry Division, General Motors Corp. (now GM Powertrain). After obtaining his degree, he served in various supervisory positions at the Defiance Plant before being promoted to the divisional offices in Saginaw, Mich., as a market analyst. He subsequently was promoted to various sales and marketing positions, one of which required that he maintain offices in Detroit-area GM plants. At that time, he lived in Ann Arbor, Mich. He was promoted to sales and marketing managerial positions and moved back to Central Foundry's Divisional Offices in Saginaw in the mid 1970s. He opted to retire from the executive roll of General Motors in 1988. It was at that time that he made his home in Florence, Ala., where he was engaged in consulting

activities.

Mr. Hruby was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Florence and active in Knights of Columbus Council 3989 and Fourth Degree Assembly 1688. He also served in the Alabama State Knights of Columbus organization. Mr. Hruby had been a member of the board of directors of the Northwest Alabama Boys and Girls Clubs, of which he was president for three years. He received the gold medallion from the National Boys and Girls Clubs of American for leadership and service to the organization. He was a proud member of the Christian Brothers of the Midwest Associates and the Catholic Businessmen and Professional Association of Birmingham, Ala. He also was a longtime member of the American Foundrymen's Society.

Visitation and mass will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1111 E. College St., Florence, AL 35630. The visitation will be from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, with the prayer service at 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, with the Rev. Andy Sullivan, pastor, the Rev. Abott Victor Clark and Msr. Michael V. Sexton officiating.

Pallbearers will be JB Taylor, Richie Gaskell, Gerry Clarke, Dan Beene, Lowell Held, John Dupuis, Derick Franck and Tom Wachter.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Scoeneck, Jim Sova, Bob McGovern, Jim Olenick, Mike Tahy, Richard Incontro, Don Wilde, the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Harold Lewis and Bill Dickinson.

Special thanks to Dr. John Bartmess, Dr. Antony Kalliath, the doctors at Vanderbilt Medical Center Department of Urology and Ingram Center Oncology. The tremendous support and generosity by our local church family and friends has been a blessing and inspiration.

Memorials to be provided to Knights of Columbus Council 3989, Vanderbilt Medical Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The online guest book may be signed at timesdaily.com/obituaries.

Arrangements by Greenview Funeral Home.