Thomas ‘Tom’ Alan Struck, 70, passed away April 10, 2016, at his home in Mesa, Arizona.

Tom was born April 11, 1946, in Albert Lea. He was the fifth and youngest child of Wehrmann and Winifred Struck. Tom grew up on the family farm in southern Minnesota, east of Gordonsville.

Tom started playing baseball with his older brothers Jim and Bill when he was 4 or 5 years old. Tom was the batter, Jim the pitcher and Bill the fielder. Tom attended country school District No. 104 and elementary school in Gordonsville. He then attended high school in Glenville. Tom was a star running back on the high school football team; he also loved baseball and basketball. His love for sports continued throughout his life and he was known to have listened to and watched two or three different games at the same time.

Tom worked at various jobs after high school until 1966. He then joined the United States Marine Corps with classmates Gene Rassmuson, Paul Buchanan and Lonnie Bervan under the buddy plan. They all served tours during the Vietnam War. After his military service ended Tom began working in Colorado, living for a time with his sister and brother-in- law at their home in Northglenn, Colorado. Subsequently he moved back to Minnesota and matriculated at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social development.

Tom decided he had enough cold weather to last him a lifetime and moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he began working for the Arizona State Department of Economic Security. His employment with the department of economic security took him to several cities throughout Arizona to including Lake Havasu, Bullhead City and Phoenix. He retired in 2014 after 34 years and moved into his townhome in Mesa. He loved becoming a homeowner again and thoroughly enjoyed his location and new neighbors.

Tom’s love for sports is an understatement; he followed all the professional and college football, baseball and basketball teams. He could tell you all about the team’s players, their coaches, past records and which bowls they won or lost. He was encyclopedic in his knowledge about all his favorite teams. In addition to his love of sports was his love for his household companions, Mr. Dillon and Miss Kitty. Tom was a wonderful loving caretaker of his pets.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Wehrmann and Winifred; and his brother, William (Bill).

He is survived by his sister, Nancy Nelson, of Maplewood; his brother, James “Jim”, of Fort Collins, Colorado: and his sister, Mary O’Brien (Leo), of Sierra Vista, Arizona; his sister-in- law, Donna Struck (Bill); and many nieces, nephews and numerous friends.

Tom’s interment will be June 3, 2016 in the columbarium at Southern Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona.