Thomas Lee Dick, 74, of Malta, Illinois, died Sunday, January 19, 2014, after a short stay at Bethany Healthcare & Rehab Center, DeKalb, due to progression and complications from Parkinson's disease. Tom was his family's wonderful, amazing and loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend.
Born January 13, 1940, in Freeport, the son of Donald E. and Rosemary (DeFendi) Dick, Tom married Marcia Anne Townsend on September 30, 1967, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Stockton. A 1958 graduate of Stockton High School, Tom served in the US Army from 1963-65 and worked at Cassens Transport in Belvidere from 1970-1981. He proudly finished his working career at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, from 1986-2004.
He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, DeKalb, and of the Huskie Athletic Scholarship Fund, formerly Huskie Club, and was an avid NIU Huskie fan. He coached Little League baseball, refereed volleyball and attended untold numbers of athletic events for many years. Tom loved and enjoyed spending time, doing anything and everything, with his wife, children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Marcia; daughter, Darcy (Rob) Kriha of LaGrange; son, Robby (Karen) Dick of Crystal Lake; eight loving grandchildren, Connor, Nathan, Aaron and Olivia Kriha, and Alyssa, Lauren, Ryan and Natalie Dick; brother, Donald "Bud" (Linda) Dick of Gardnerville, Nevada; mother-in-law, Helen Jane Townsend of Stockton; and countless relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Janet Clay; brother-in-law, Charles Clay; nephew, Anthony "Tony" Clay; and father-in-law.
A visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 23, at Anderson Funeral Home, DeKalb, with a spiritual wake service recited at 7 p.m. The funeral Mass, which will be celebrated at the same parish in which he celebrated all of his sacraments and served as an altar boy, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 25, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 223 East Front Avenue, Stockton. Fr. Michael Morrissey will celebrate. A second visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the service Saturday at the church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Stockton, with full military rites.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Thomas L. Dick Memorial Fund, sent in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL 60115.