Thomas Joseph Kathol

Thomas Joseph Kathol age 78 of Hartington, Nebraska died unexpectantly on Sunday, September 3, 2023 while tending to his cattle.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, September 11, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with the Rev. Owen Korte officiating.  Burial of his cremated remains will be at St. Michael’s cemetery in Hartington with military rites by the Hartington VFW Post #5283 and the American Legion Riders.  Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, at church, from 3-5:00 p.m. with a Vigil service at 4:00 p.m.  Visitation will continue on Monday one hour prior to services.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.

You may watch a livestream of the funeral at:  www.facebook.com/WintzRay/live

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Ralph & Ursula Kathol Scholarship Fund at Hartington Cedar Catholic High School.

Tom was born on March 27, 1945 in Hartington to Ralph John and Ursula Elizabeth (Heimes) Kathol and was raised on the family farm one mile east of Hartington.  He attended Holy Trinity Elementary & Holy Trinity High School, graduating in 1963.  After graduation he attended one year of Divinity School at Conception Abbey in Missouri.  He came back to Hartington and worked on the family farm until he joined the National Guard from July 1965 to Feb. 1966.  He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 1967 and served as a Crew Chief with a helicopter combat unit in Vietnam from Dec. 1967 to Feb. 1969.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and honorably discharged in November of 1970.

After the service, Tom worked as a cabinet maker for a construction company in Oklahoma City.  He married Frances Marie Koman on July 29, 1972, and of this union was born one daughter, Talitha Ann. Tom was severely injured in a head on motor vehicle accident on December 8, 1979, which left him disabled.  After a lengthy recovery, he went to work for Vision Quest, a wagon train for at risk youth.  Tom took care of the wagons and horses, teaching young men how to care for animals and repair equipment.  The wagon train traveled from Florida to Pennsylvania during the summer months.  After his time with the wagon train, he spent several years in Pennsylvania where he was known locally as “Tractor Tom”.  His brothers and sisters moved him back to Nebraska after a bad snow mobile accident in 2006.  He settled permanently in Hartington in 2012.

Tom was a member of Holy Trinity Church in Hartington, where he kept his holy hours.  He always sat up front at Mass and helped the cantors lead the songs.  Tom loved his horses and long horns and would spend many nights sleeping under the stars.  Many people were recipients of his home-made cards and envelopes.  His passion was youth baseball and attending all high school sporting events in Wynot, Hartington Public, and Cedar Catholic.  Tom was “The All-American Sports Fan”. 

Tom is survived by his daughter Talitha Ann Kathol-Falconer of Oklahoma City, OK; nine siblings and spouses Phyllis Patton of Chicago, IL, Connie (Jerry) Kaiser of Billings, MT, Max (Essie) Kathol of Wayne, Glenn (Rosemary) Kathol of Hartington, Ruth Browne of Durham, NC, Mary (Chuck) Reece of Dallas, TX, Kelly (Giuseppina) Kathol of Los Angeles, CA, Carrie (Steve) Heine of Wynot, Carla (Jim) Rooney of Kansas City, KS; sisters-in-law Lorraine Kathol of Sutton, NE, Pamela Kathol of Lenexa, KS; 33 nephews and nieces and many great nephews & nieces. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph on Mar. 19, 2007 and mother, Ursula on Oct. 18, 2009; three brothers, Victor, Clifford & Joseph; one niece, Mary Kerkman.