HURON — Thomas M. Ford, 77, of Huron, passed away Thursday, February 1, 2024, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

His Funeral Service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery.

Visitation, with his family present, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, at Welter Funeral Home. A Prayer Service and Time of Sharing will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Thomas Martin Ford was born on June 17, 1946, to Joe and Esther Ford. Tom grew up in Yale where he attended school until it closed. He was the last person to letter at Yale High School. He graduated from Bancroft High School in 1965 where he excelled in basketball. This turned into a life-long love for the game. Following graduation, he attended Northern State college.
Tom returned to Yale and worked for Tubby and Leroy Hintz on their farm. It was during this time that he met Roxanne Decker. They were married Feb. 15, 1974, in Yale. They were blessed with two sons, Brandon and Marty.  Tom was the control room operator at Zip\Hubbard Feeds for 38 years until his retirement. He then went to work for Community Counseling Services for 11 years.  

Tom’s passion for basketball took him to countless gyms throughout South Dakota, to watch his sons, grandchildren, and various family members play. He could be found in “his spot” above the scorer’s table anytime a game was being played at the Huron Arena.   

Tom had a quick wit and a kind heart. He enjoyed coaching his sons in baseball and road trips for food and fun with Roxy, Joette and his best friend Rick. Above all, he loved his family.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Roxy; his two sons, Brandon (Maurine) and Marty (Theresa); his grandchildren, Jaedyn (Tiffany), Jastyn, Audrina, Jessa, Dayton, Shayna (Brandon), Taylor (Abagail), Kristina; and  his great-grandchildren, Oliver, Liam, Brantlee, Lyla, Everleigh and Baby J; his siblings, Kathy (Roger) Rusche, Peggy (Loren) Schaller, Joey Erickson and Bill (LeAnn) Ford; his wife’s siblings, Roger (Clarice) Decker, Dick (Jean) Decker, Jeannie (Wayne) Hofer, Rodney Decker and Jerry Kleinsasser; and his many loved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Esther Ford; his in-laws, Ervin and Irene Kleinsasser; nephew, Tommy Rusche; brothers-in-law, Roy and John Decker and his brother-in-law and best friend, Rick Erickson.

A special thank you to Dr. Robert Hohm for his compassionate medical care over the years.

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