W. Reidenbach

William Thomas “Tom” Reidenbach, age 83 years of Niles, Michigan died peacefully at 1:02 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 with family gathered around his bed at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana following a brief illness.

He was born on May 4, 1933 in Niles to Sanford Stacy and Ella Mae (Tolliver) Reidenbach. He was graduated from Niles High School where he played football and set several records on the track, and has lived in Niles all of his life. He served in the United States Army, and was honorably discharged as a Corporal and a Veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was first employed in the former Niles railroad yard of the New York Central, and then for a few years in the former Buchanan offices of Clark Equipment before moving to the offices of AM General, from which he retired.

Tom was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles. He enjoyed sports – especially the Chicago Bears, and hunting and fishing. He was a proficient carpenter and cabinetmaker, building three houses for his family.

On June 4, 1955 at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles he married the former Frances Jean VanTuyl with whom he celebrated last year the remarkable Sixty-first Anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Jean Reidenbach and their children, William “Mark” (& Gwen) Reidenbach of Paw Paw, Michigan, Thomas “Matt” (& Mary Kay) Reidenbach of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Andrew “Scott” (& Valerie) Reidenbach of Niles, and Christopher “Neal” (& Stacey) Reidenbach of Ludington, Michigan; grandchildren, Jodi Johnson, Kiel (& Samantha) Reidenbach and his twin brother Brian (& Nandrae) Reidenbach, Emily Reidenbach, Nick (& Audra) Reidenbach, and Andrea, Daniel, Mollie, and Hannah Reidenbach and twins Kristen and Kate Reidenbach; great-grandchildren, Aiden, Will, Tim, Natalie, Henry, Charlotte, Colin, Hadley, and Drew; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parent, his sister, Mary Boyle in 1965, and his niece Jackie.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Tom Reidenbach will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 27, 2017 at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles by the Rev. Christian Johnston of the parish. Committal Rites will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Niles and will conclude with Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan, Michigan.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles with Recitation of The Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Contributions in memory of Tom may be made to Saint Mary Catholic Church.