Thomas 'Tom' Ropers died peacefully on November 12, 2016 surrounded by his loving wife and family.
Tom was born June 17, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Carl E. and Marie M. (Ryan) Ropers. He attended Shrine of the Little Flower High School in Royal Oak, Michigan, where he played baseball and basketball. As a senior, he met the love of his life, and future wife, Helen (Haupert).
Tom studied engineering at the University of Notre Dame where he was a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1961 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned an officer in the United States Army.
Tom and Helen were married on July 1, 1961 at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, Michigan. Following their wedding, Tom reported for duty and attended advanced artillery training at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Tom was stationed outside Pittsburgh, PA where he served in the 3rd Missile Battalion, 1st Artillery's "ring of steel" protecting Pittsburgh's industrial complex during the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Following completion of his military service, Tom and Helen returned to Michigan where Tom went to work for the Fisher Body Division of the General Motors Corporation – first in Detroit and later Lansing.
Tom and Helen moved to the Traverse City area in 1968 when Tom joined Wayne Wire Cloth Products in Kalkaska, Michigan. As an engineer, Tom designed and managed the production of metal filtration components used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. His designs were critical to the aerospace, automotive, appliance and commercial airline industries as well as the United States Department of Defense, and can be found in the engines of military fighter jets, commercial airplanes, automotive airbags, major home appliances and NASA's Space Shuttle. Tom spent more than 30 years at the Wire Works and retired as Vice President and General Manager in 2001.
Tom loved Northern Michigan, and toured its beauty as often as possible by car and by boat. He enjoyed golfing , 50's music, hamburgers, TC Thursday Night Buds, his Drummond Island fishing trips and his Manitowish Waters Fish Camp with his longtime Notre Dame friends. Tom was an active member of the Acme Zoning Board for ten years, and he and his wife were one of the founding couples of the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools' Gladhander Auction.
Tom is survived by his wife of 55 years Helen; daughter Kristan (William) Cassidy of Washington D.C.; son Jeff (Jeanette) of Charlotte, N.C.; granddaughters Katharine, Anna, and Olivia; many nieces and nephews and other beloved family members and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, infant son Jon Thomas, infant daughter Ann, brother Gerald, and the family's three wonderful German Shepherds--T-Bone, Rugby, and Woody.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 from 4 to 8 pm at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth St., Traverse City, Michigan 49684. A time for sharing along with a special prayer of the rosary will begin at 7:00 pm.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 1:00 pm with visitation beginning one hour before at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1025 S. Union St., Traverse City, Michigan, 49684.. Fr. Kenneth Stachnik and Fr. Ben Rexroat will co-celebrate the Mass. Interment services will follow at a later date at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Old Mission Peninsula.
Military Honors will be conducted under the auspices of Cherryland V.F.W. post 2780.
At the family's request, in lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be directed to Munson Hospice House in gratitude and love for the extraordinary care and compassion provided to Tom and family or to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Building Fund.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and memories with Tom's family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com .
The Family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Service.