Thomas Kromer Obituary

Thomas Karl Kromer

Jun 11, 1925 - May 30, 2023

Norwalk

Thomas Karl Kromer, 97, of Norwalk, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at his home.

Thomas was born June 11, 1925, at home in Castalia, the first of 14 children born to Theresa (Leimeister) and Aaron Kromer. In addition to his parents, his grandfather, grandmother, and an aunt and uncle all welcomed him to their homestead.

He was a graduate of Margaretta High School. Tom married his sweetheart, Charlotte (nee Weisenberger), on Aug. 16, 1952, at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Their wedding reception took place at Norwalk Memorial Lake Park Clubhouse and their first dance was aptly titled "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Together, they established Fra-Jo Registered Holsteins Farm. As a successful dairy and grain farmer, he sold his cattle to buyers in Ohio and as far away as Costa Rica, Columbia, Korea, and Algiers. In 1984, he was awarded the distinguished Huron County Dairy Association "Breeder of the Year" honor. Gifted for animal husbandry, he could recognize all of his cattle individually by name and personality traits. During his lifetime, Tom saw incredible progress in farming technology. In the 1930s, he helped his parents milk cows by hand and now cows are milked automatically by robots. As a child, he helped his father, uncle, and grandfather sow and harvest crops with a team of horses and now his sons' tractors are GPS driven. He was fortunate to be able to watch the crop production on his and Charlotte's family farm for more than 70 years.

Tom was a parishioner of St. Anthony's Church in Milan, where he regularly attended Mass with his son and companion, Charles. In addition to the Farm Bureau, he was a member of Ohio Holstein and National Holstein Associations. He also served as a director on the Production Credit Association Board in the 1980s and was a member of Milk Marketing Incorporated.

Being the eldest of a large family, Tom became very accustomed to and enjoyed helping his parents with his younger siblings. He relished the liveliness of a big family and had seven children of his own.

Tom is survived by his children, Barbara Smith, Christine (Bruce) Mollison, Millie (Mark) Yost, Frank (Michelle), Roseann (Jack) Mariner, John (Cindy), and Charles; grandchildren, Erin (Mike) Gall, Gwen Bumb, Randall Mollison, Brian, Steve, and Mike Yost, Alan Kromer, Cobey, Kyler, and Casey Kromer, and Ian and Kelsi Mariner; seven great-grandchildren; brothers, Aaron and Philip; and sister, Mary.

Nurturing by nature, he outstandingly nursed his wife through her illness and eventual death from cancer. He was preceded in death by Charlotte in 2006.

Tom is also preceed in death by his son-in-law, Le Smith; brothers, Albert, Paul, and Joseph; and sisters Joan, Madeleine, Kathleen, Esther, Rose, Carol, and infant Barbara.

Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2023, at Evans Funeral Home, 314 E. Main St., Norwalk. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Friday, June 2, 2023, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 130 S. Main Street, Milan. Private interment will be at St. Anthony's Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Artists' Open Studio, 32 E. Main Street, Norwalk, Ohio, 44857.