Tribute

One’s destiny in life often suggests a future that includes something great and/or important. Tom was born into a family of ten children. He was the sixth child born on August 8, 1952 to Jerome and Marie Ehler. He was baptized into the Catholic faith at the St. Lawrence O’Toole Catholic Church in Fountain, Minnesota. Tom was slow in embracing speech patterns and development. As a young child he was provided speech services to help him with his speech development. He was blessed with mechanical skills and abilities and these would lead him to a career in machine operations. Tom was a quiet and reserved individual. He developed life-long skills in how to cope with the dynamics of a large family especially having to contend with six brothers. He learned very early in life the value of hard work and having moral character. He had a gift of looking at things and was able to replicate and make things he encountered during his formative years. He was known as “Mr. Fix It “. He embraced his role and responsibilities of working on the farm and was never known to complain. He was a 1970 graduate of Mabel–Canton High School. He pursued his mechanical training after high school by attending St. Paul Area Technical School in St. Paul, MN. He graduated with a degree in machine tool processes. He moved to Denver, CO early in 1973 and lived with his older brother David and his family for many years. He made a move to Littleton, CO, and worked for various tool & die companies (Ragsdale, Bordens, and Stolle Machinery). His career as a machine operator was more than 50 years. Tom loved the outdoors and was known to go hiking, camping, and bicycling in the mountains in the Denver area. He was on a quest to find the true meaning in life. He developed lung cancer and other health related conditions that tested his core desire to live life to the fullest. It was during this time of his life that he made the decision to donate his body to science. He wanted to assist the medical profession in determining what were the root causes of lung cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Tom led a simple and basic life and in the end he did not fear death. He gave meaning to his destiny in life by making the self-less act of giving his body to science to help others. The bible verse (Isaiah 40:31) gives witness to the importance of Thomas’s life: But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. May Thomas be in the warm embrace of the Good Lord and his family members in heaven. His family prays that he will be blessed with eternal happiness.

Friends & Family

David Ehler - Cheyenne, WY; Jane Ehler - Huntington Beach, CA; Roger Ehler - Hayfield, MN; Bonnie Luhmann - Zumbro Falls, MN; Charles Ehler - Ames, IA; Joseph Ehler - Harmony, MN; Gary Ehler - Harmony, MN; James Ehler - Harmony, MN; Cheryl Copeman - Suches, GA