Thomas Dits

Obituary
A Great Teacher
"I am grateful to God, that he called me to work in His fields, planting seeds and harvesting them."
These words of gratitude marked Thomas J. Dits' speech at Trinity School at Greenlawn this winter, where he'd taught and directed drama with passion for about 30 years. They also reflect the garden-loving "Papa Bear" who generously nurtured his children and stepchildren to adulthood, cooking, mentoring, counseling, laboring and playing like a big kid. Not to forget how the Fussy Dutchman built character into the young crew – often his former students – through his painting company for over 35 years.
Tom entered Heaven's garden on July 17th, 2023. At 66, he'd bravely fought pancreatic cancer, enjoying life as fully as he could with a dedicated support of family.
Tom was born the fourth of seven children on April 4, 1957, in Mishawaka, the son of Dutch immigrants. He cherished the family's small, rural home on Miller Road where he grew so fond of Dad's Sweet William flowers that he would later plant in his own home. On Miller Road, he and his sister Mary Ann would pair off with imagination to play the game du jour among the garden and fruit trees.
In the "turbulent" times of the early 1970's, he said, the relaxed curriculum at his high school "did not work very well for me. I was a young man who wanted to learn and who needed to be taught. I loved art and theater, and I wanted a career in forestry or environmental science."
This same frustration during high school created tensions between himself and his father, a Roman Catholic deacon, but ultimately culminated in a pivotal conversion to the faith and a return to the family in his senior year.
Tom went on to live for a while in a "brotherhood" household of prayer through the People of Praise, in a house near the old Five Points intersection on Eddy Street - the same brothers he later travelled with to Rome to meet Pope John Paul II.
He started studies at IU South Bend, then transferred to the University of Notre Dame to study philosophy and eventually earn a master's degree in medieval philosophy and theology.
He married Lisa Hayes in 1982, and they would have four children together, Andrew, Beth Ann, Christine, and Michael.
He started out teaching at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire in 1983, the year his first child, Andrew, was born. Surrounded by an excellent group of teachers there, Tom began his fruitful career as a teacher on a high note.
He was drawn back home to teach at Trinity School at Greenlawn, where he perpetuated and observed the level of conversation with students and "the education that I would have loved as a young man." He started there in 1987, the year his second child, Beth Ann, was born, as he began teaching humane letters, medieval history and – "to my surprise and delight" – drama. He loved theater in high school and was a good actor. At Trinity, he learned to teach it through an experienced teacher, Rollin Lasseter, who instilled in Tom a love of Shakespeare.
Thus began Tom's career of directing over 100 Shakespearean and contemporary productions at Trinity. Drama is a required class at Trinity, which means that all students must participate in a play for the whole school community and families to see. With the aid of other faculty, Tom spent long hours building sets and pulling talent out of each student. "We really see their confidence change," he said. Many of his graduates testify that Tom and drama taught them to express themselves and enabled their successful careers.
"I learned to see that God was at work in each of my students, and that I was a part of that work," he said. "It was God who, in His great love and mercy, was changing them and transforming them into strong men and women."
He married Elena Jones on August 17, 2010, who brought her two children and Trinity students, Yana and Carl, to the family. Tom excitedly credited Elena with bringing an eye for beauty into his productions at Trinity, where students enjoyed her passion for theater through detailed costumes and set designs.
Together, Tom and Elena found a love for travel. One of their beloved places to visit was the Island of Aruba, which was also a favorite place to travel for Tom's parents. There, they met with Tom's extended Dutch family on his mother's side.
Tom loved his children and grandchildren dearly. His unique and brimming imagination can be seen in his impressive comic book doodles he created while in grade school. This same playful imagination carried through to his adulthood where he clashed on the battlefield of his gardens with his grandchildren, waging medieval war with sticks found around the yard.
His passion for medieval history, travel, and the love of his children culminated in his 2018 trip to Europe where he met with his son Michael, who was traveling by bicycle around the world. Together, they explored the mountains of Switzerland and the fortified cities of Germany that he had studied. Tom recalled fondly how Mike pushed him to the summit of the longest hike of his life, which found Tom struggling on the ascent and happily grateful on the way down. The long hike would prove a little too long, as they would then miss their dinner (a tragedy for Tom), however, in true survivalist fashion, Mike would save the day by sharing German bread and a wheel of Swiss cheese with his father.
Humbly, Tom credited all his Trinity Graduates with teaching him to be patient, to listen, to be open to their thoughts and feelings. Likewise, he formed them into bold, passionate and compassionate doers. As adults, they cherish how he gently listened through their difficult times.
Tom loved to entertain guests at his home, where, as a skilled cook, his hospitality and delicious spreads brought friends, colleagues and family together. He was a gardener and deer hunter. And he was a spiritual seeker, who helped fellow family members to witness the "transformation" in the passing of his mother, Anna Maria Dits, on April 29 this spring, sitting at her bedside in her final moments as he read Psalm 91 from his father's Bible.
Tom was also preceded in death by his father, Paul B. Dits, in 2018.
Tom will be greeted at the entrance of the garden of heaven by two special young men, Thaddeus A. Finke and Aaron Day, who tragically passed away on August 4th, 1999, while working for The Fussy Dutchmen.
Tom is survived by his wife, Elena Jones. Also surviving are his children: Andrew Dits (fiancée Dr. Yesenia Almaguer) of New York City; Beth Falls (Brendan Falls) of Chicago with sons, Rory, Brady and Mickey; Christine Dits of Fishers, Ind.; and Mike Dits of Boulder, Colo.; along with stepchildren Yana Jones (Christian Lombard) of Granger and Carl Jones of Portland, Oregon. Also surviving are Tom's siblings: John Dits of Elko, Nev., and Phoenix, Ariz.; Paul (Marcia) Dits of Indianapolis; Mary Ann (Dan) Rodts of Niles; Peter (Stephanie) Dits of Colleyville, Texas; David Dits of Mishawaka; and Joseph Dits of South Bend. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews: Amy Owens (with sons, Caden and Darion); Theresa Groth (with daughter, Tienica and son, Tragen); Brian Leddy; Sean Leddy (with sons, Cameron, Tyler and Jackson and daughter, McKenzie); Madie (with daughter Adeline Anna), Danny (with sons, Bodie and Crew) and Sammy Rodts; Jillian and Avery Dits; and Tyler Dits.
Visitation will begin at the Trinity School Athletic Center (53666 N Ironwood Rd, South Bend, IN 46635) on Thursday, July 20th from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. A Byzantine funeral liturgy will be held on the following day, Friday, July 21st at 11:30 am at St. Pius X Church (52553 N Fir Rd, Granger, IN 46530). A private burial will take place immediately following at Queen of Peace Cemetery at Saint Mary's College, where he will rest beside his mother and father, also buried there. Funeral luncheon to follow at 1:30 pm at the Trinity School Athletic Center (53666 N Ironwood Rd, South Bend, IN 46635)-all are welcome to the table.
Funeral Service will be live-streamed at StPius.net and at YouTube.com/@stpiusgranger
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to:
ND Byzantine Catholic Community, c/o Fr. Khaled Anatolios,
1604 East Jefferson lvd, South Bend, IN, 46617
https://givebutter.com/NDByzCath
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