Thomas Henkelman

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 Thomas James Henkelman was born on October 20, 1953, in Carroll, Iowa to James Louis and Beverly Jean (Finnegan) Henkelman. Shortly after he was born, his family moved to Napa, California. He attended school in Napa and graduated high school in 1971. Tom went on to attend fire fighter training in northern California and then he moved to Iowa. While living in Denison he worked at Cronks as a cook, drove a delivery truck for the meat market in Vail and worked at Farmland. On March 30, 1980, Tom was united in marriage to Vicky (Fouts) Melby. The couple lived in Denison before moving to Vancouver, Washington so that they could attend airline school. They then moved to Denver, Colorado where he worked for Pioneer Airlines, Continental Airlines, Todd Expediating and Frontier Airlines. They transferred to Omaha, Nebraska where he worked for Frontier Airlines and finished his working career at the Ameristar Casino.

 A dedicated fan of the San Francisco 49ers, Tom also had a special place in his heart for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, as well as the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants. His enthusiasm for these teams brought him joy and camaraderie with fellow fans, and he often shared spirited discussions about games and players. Beyond his love for sports, Tom was an avid reader. He and Vicky enjoyed traveling and were known for their love of cruises, where they found enjoyment in both the adventure of new destinations and the relaxation of the open seas.

 Tom died on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 70 years, 10 months and 23 days.

 Tom was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Vicky Henkelman in 2022; and brother, Bernard. He is survived by his son, Doug Melby and his wife Jill of Dow City, Iowa; two grandchildren, Madison and Devin; siblings, Theresa Henkelman of Greeley, Colorado, Kathy Calderon of Napa, California, Kevin Henkelman and his wife Corrine of Manning, Iowa and Paul Henkelman and his wife Charity of Hudsonville, Michigan; and many other relatives and friends.