Thomas "Tom" Piatz

Thomas “Tom” Piatz, 82, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at Prairie Heights Healthcare, Aberdeen, SD.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Aberdeen with Father Andrew Dickinson officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Mass.

Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery with Military Honors following a time of fellowship and luncheon at the church parish hall.

Thomas “Tom” Piatz was born May 30, 1940, to Joseph and Barbara (Kraft) Piatz in Aberdeen, SD, the youngest of twelve children, ten brothers and one sister.

Tom was a lifetime member of St. Mary’s Parish and attended St. Mary’s grade and junior high school. He graduated from Central High School in 1958. As a teenager, he worked for Kessler’s in Aberdeen. Following serving in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1963-1965, he returned to Aberdeen and began working as a car inspector on the Milwaukee Railroad and later, the BNSF line until his retirement.

Tom’s life was marked with generosity and care for others. He remained at home caring for his parents until their deaths. He bought his first home in 1980 but was shortly transferred to Sioux Falls, where he lived for several years. When his brother Ed was diagnosed with lung cancer, Tom transferred back to Aberdeen in order to help Ed with his farm work.

After Ed’s death, Tom purchased his farm, which soon became the gathering place for all of his brothers, who shared his love for the outdoors. He invited his brother and sister-in-law to live on his farm when they sold their home. Tom used his basement apartment and gave the main floor of the house to his brother. He, his brothers, and several of his nephews enjoyed many camping, hunting, and fishing years together. In 2007, he sold his farm and moved back to Aberdeen.

In June of 2019, Tom became critically ill, and following hospitalization and rehabilitation, became a resident of Prairie Heights Nursing Center where he resided until the time of his death.

Surviving Tom is his sister, Sister Joyce Piatz of Mother of God Monastery, Watertown, SD, and many nieces and nephews.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Philip, Joseph Jr., Anton, Daniel, John, Edward, Robert, Frank, and two stillborn brothers; two nephews; and one niece.

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