Thomas Allen Seidel

Thomas Seidel 1934 – 2014 Thomas Allen Seidel, 79 of Princeton died Friday, September 12, 2014 at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton. Funeral services will be held Saturday September 20, 2014 at 11:00 AM at the Presbyterian Church in Princeton. Reverend Brian Hall will officiate. The family will receive friends at a visitation Friday, September 19, 2014 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at Norberg Memorial Home in Princeton. There will be a Masonic Service following the visitation at 7:00 PM that evening. Tom was born October 10, 1934 in Akron, Ohio, the son of Glenn and Ruth (Peterson) Seidel. He married Doris Diane Ayer on August 4, 1956 at the First Presbyterian Church in Keokuk, Iowa. She survives along with son Mark (Kathy) of Princeton and daughter Sarah (Garry) Pinter of Vernon Hills, IL; grandchildren Matthew (Kristin) Seidel of Morris, IL, Dustin Seidel of Princeton, Daniel Pinter of New York, NY, Haley Pinter, Sean Pinter, and Nicole Pinter of Vernon Hills and great-grandchildren Paxton Allen Seidel and Waylon Ayer James Seidel. His brothers Jerry Seidel and Ray (Charlene) Seidel and Ruthie Seidel also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister-in-law Shirley Seidel. Tom graduated from Princeton High School in 1952. He graduated with an economics degree from Knox College in 1956. He was a member of Beta Theta Phi fraternity and played four years of varsity football, being named Captain his senior year. Upon graduation he was commissioned in the United States Army and in 1958 he was discharged as Captain. He was stationed at fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. While there he fired Corporal Missiles at White Sands Missile Base. After active duty he served as Commanding Officer of the local Army Reserve. He also represented the Army in “Men of America” series for Chesterfield cigarettes in television commercials. Since 1958 Tom had been actively engaged in the operation of the family’s 700 acre grain farm located in Princeton Township. He was actively involved with GROWMARK, Inc. and was the Secretary of the Board of Directors from 1971 to 1999, upon his retirement. He had been President of Bureau Service Co., director of Bureau County Farm Bureau; Secretary of University of Illinois Extension Council in Bureau County; chairman of Bureau County Zoning Board of Appeals, of the Bureau County board of Revenue; Republican Precinct Committeeman where he served as county chairman from 1976 to the mid-eighties; chairman of the Princeton Township Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Committee; Director of Princeton Chamber of Commerce; a member of Bureau County Farm Bureau Board of Directors; Chairman of Bureau County Red Cross; Princeton High School Vocational Agriculture Advisory Council; Bureau County Pork Producers and the Livestock Feeders Association. Tom also was a member of the Princeton Masonic Lodge 587 AF and AM, the Mohammed Temple (Shrine), Rotary Club, Princeton Elks Club, Bureau County Country Club, and Princeton Game & Fish Club. He was a life-time elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Princeton. He enjoyed spending time at their home in Green Lake, Wisconsin with his family. He loved all his grandchildren and found great joy in keeping in touch and involved in each and every one of their lives. In lieu of flowers Memorials may be directed to HeartCare Midwest, 5405 N Knoxville Ave., Peoria, IL 61614. or to Greenfield, senior care and senior apts., Princeton or to Family House, Inc. (an affiliate of St. Francis OSF. Online condolences may be left at www.norbergfh.com All arrangements have been made with Norberg Memorial Home, 701 E Thompson St., Princeton, IL.

Thomas Allen Seidel

October 10, 1934 - September 12, 2014