Thomas Hetterscheid

On Saturday, December 8, 2018, Thomas Allen Hetterscheid passed peacefully in his sleep in Jacksonville, FL. Born on Tuesday January 28, 1947 in Oregon City to proud parents Joe and Dolores Hetterscheid. Tom faced lifelong health challenges, with his early doctors giving him a year to live at best. His strength, courage and determination to beat all odds, plus the love and support of his parents, siblings and children gifted him with 71 years. As the 3rd born son in a long line of children, Tom had numerous responsibilities and adventures. Some of these include several surgeries, delivering newspapers, participating in parades, picking strawberries, beans, walnuts and filberts, climbing and swinging from tree branches and teasing his sisters. Tom led a full life. His sisters, Cathy, Lori and Julie recall Tom's mischievous nature and devised a bit of a pay-back. The 3 girls got under a bear skin and hid in the tall grass behind the house. When Tom and Mike were coming home from a friend's house, the girls moved around and growled like a bear. The boys went running to their room and didn't come out until the next day. Mom witnessed their entry into the house, followed by the giggling girls, but none of them knew the details until about 40 years later, when Tom asked what they knew about the bear. Tom and his brother Mike were well known in the family and neighborhood for hosting "Mass" using Neco wafers for communion. Another treat remembered was on a family trip to the beach with Grandma, mom, dad, and most of the siblings. The family came upon an ice cream truck that had broken down and each person in the car was given an entire quart of ice cream to eat! In Tom's 20's, he learned Ball Room Dance and loved it. He entered some contests and earned a 2nd place trophy for the Fox Trot. Tom also loved to tinker' always taking things apart and learning how to reassemble them - sometimes more successfully than others. In later years, this provided amusement and frustration when his daughters would call him only to learn later that he didn't answer because he'd disassembled the phone. Tom's greatest talent was with cars. He would name the year, make and model of almost every car he saw on the road. He became a mechanic and was constantly working on a car or a motorcycle. He loved owning special cars and motorcycles - which were many - and was especially proud of his Jag. On June 14, 1975, he married Lorrayne Putman. Their 15 years together produced the greatest gifts: Kimberly Ann (7/28/76-11/10/08), Sheila Marie (7/29/77), and Katrina Louise (8/24/78). These years were filled with great joy and many challenges, but through it all, Tom remained strong, kind-hearted and sweet. His support and love of his daughters and grandchildren was unconditional and absolute. He could always be counted on to provide a helping hand to all. These past years have not been easy for Tom or his family. He never gave up though and he found joy when visiting with his siblings, children and friends to talk about cars, or to brag about his many grandchildren: Ivy, Elijah, Tristan, Justin, Zachery, Thomas Joseph, Heather Rose, Nathaniel, Joshua, Nicholas, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jacob. Tom enjoyed his time in the warmer climate of Florida, but after his stroke, he wanted most of all to return home to Oregon. His health once again challenged him and the move wasn't allowed. Tom is embraced in God's loving arms and is reunited in death with his daughter Kimberly, his father Joe, and his siblings Raymond, Charles Jesse, Florence and Carol Ann. He will be celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church, Stayton OR on Saturday January 26, 2019 at 10 AM (reciting of the rosary at 9:30 AM) and interment at St. Mary Cemetery, Stayton OR. A reception will follow back at the church after internment.
He is survived by his daughters Sheila Kelly (Rick), Katrina Wascher (Dan), Paul Blunkall (son-in-law/Kimberly), his grandchildren Ivy, Elijah, Tristan, Justin, Zachery, Thomas Joseph, Heather Rose, Nathaniel, Joshua, Nicholas, Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jacob. His mother Dolores, and siblings, Mike, Cathy, Lori, Julie, Regina, Grace, Shirley, Donald, Larry, Sue and Chris. Death is most difficult for those who are left behind, and while we are saddened by this loss, we are comforted that he has returned home and is now at peace.