Thomas Mendel, age 74, of Huron, passed away Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Bethany Home at Sioux Falls.

His funeral service was held at 10:30 AM, Tuesday, May 24th, at the Kuhler Funeral Home, Huron. Burial followed in the Riverside Cemetery. A time of fellowship was held at the Bethesda Church in Huron after Tom's committal service.  His service was live-streamed through the Kuhler Funeral Home website. 

Visitation was held from 1:00 to 6:00 PM, Monday at the Kuhler Funeral Home, with his family present from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Monday evening.

Tom was born September 29, 1947, to Noah and Louise (Glanzer) Mendel. He was raised on a farm near Huron. Tom graduated from Huron High School and also joined the National Guard.  He went on to plumbing for Burnison Neumeyer until he started his own plumbing company.

In 1976, he moved to Wolsey, where he was a plumber by day and was a full-time deputy sheriff by night.  After retiring in 2002, he went on to drive for Renzenberger, Inc.

Tom, also known as Gentle Ben (written on his hard hat), had many pastimes.  He enjoyed playing cards, dominoes, hunting gophers, raising birds, swimming in the backyard pool with the drop-in guests, working word find puzzles, listening to ball games on his portable radio, watching old westerns, reading his Bible and devotionals, and spoiling his grandkids with juice and candy.  Tom has been a regular attender of Bethesda Church in Huron.

In 1975, Tom married Carla Decker, and from that union were four children and later twelve grandchildren, Shawn (Jennifer) Mendel and their children, Haley (Lane) Smit and Haden; Ernest Mendel and his children, Ethan, Elijah and Emerson; Clare (Brittany) Mendel and their children, Braxtyn, Breelyn, Pieper and Braedyn; and Christina (Mike) Guthrie and their children, Alissa, Mason and Alexandria.

Tom is survived by his children; his grandchildren; his brother, Steve (Sandra) Mendel of Rapid City; his sister, Debra (Roger) Derksen of Kansas City, Missouri, and their families; his aunt, Delores (Norman) Hofer of Huron; and his aunt, Joyce Glanzer of Huron.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; and numerous aunts and uncles.

 View Tom's Floral Arrangements