Thomas DeSmet
BETTENDORF — Thomas M. DeSmet, 62, of Bettendorf, died Wednesday, February 2, 2011, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City.
A Memorial Mass will be 11:30 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1506 Brown Street, Bettendorf. Visitation is from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory Ltd., 6601 38th Avenue, Moline. Cremation rites have been accorded. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Tom was born March 2, 1948, in Moline, the son of Albert and Rachel (Vander Vennet) DeSmet. He married his “high school sweetheart” Barbara Warfield on April 28, 1973, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Moline.
Tom was a territory manager at Lifetouch for 23 years, retiring in 2005. He previously worked 17 years at International Harvester. Tom served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He was a 1966 graduate of Moline High School and graduated from Augustana College with honors. Tom was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bettendorf, where he was an usher at the 8:30 a.m. Mass, and enjoyed breakfast afterwards with friends. He was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears. Tom loved to travel with Barb, his family and the Lifetouch Alumni Club. He also volunteered for Meals On Wheels with his wife. Tom always looked forward to Friday pizza night with the gang and Saturday morning donuts will never be the same. His greatest joy of all was being “Papa” to his grandchildren. He was loved by so many and will truly be missed.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara DeSmet, Bettendorf, Iowa; daughter, Melissa (Scott) Schroeder, Coralville, Iowa, and their children, Madeline and Andrew; son, Michael (Trisha) DeSmet, Davenport, Iowa, and their child, Teagan; brothers, Robert (Janet) DeSmet, Davenport, Iowa, and Jim (Sharon) DeSmet, Dallas, Texas; sister, Andrea (Rob) Sullivan, Olathe, Kan.; 15 nieces and nephews; and 25 great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather, Herman Verstraete, sister, Joyce DeSmet, and two beagles, Babe and Betsy.
Online condolences may be expressed to Tom’s family by visiting his obituary at www.esterdahl.com.
