Thomas D. Hire

August 7th 1949- July 1st 2021

Thomas Hire was born in Jackson, Michigan on August 7th 1949 to Lois Grace Hire (Andrews) and Richard D. Hire. He graduated from Emporia Senior High school in 1967 where he was an active athlete in basketball and football. After graduation, Tom decided to enlist in the United States Marine Corp where he served as a Sargent for four years. He was honorably discharged from the Marines in 1970, where he went back to live in Emporia Kansas and met his beloved wife Pam Hire (Hicks) and got married in 1975. In 1977, Tom and Pam had their son Tom Hire Jr. Tom worked as a truck driver for 10 years with Emporia Motor Freight. Afterward, he decided to move with his family to Paola Kansas, where he worked at the AFG Glass Plant in 1991 for five years.

In 1997, Tom decided to move to Cedaredge Colorado and start his retirement in a quiet community. However, Tom was always a person that needed to stay busy so he developed a small landscaping company for three years and worked part time as a dispatcher in Grand Junction, Co. He also enjoyed volunteering for the Search and Rescue Program of Delta County for 6 years.

In 2005, Tom moved to Colorado Springs to be closer to his son, Tom Jr. and his daughter in law Keera. Tom soon became a grandpa of two grandchildren, Courtney and Kenny, then in 2020 a second grandson came along, Cameron. Tom (Grandpa) loved his grandkids more than anything in the world. He would spend nearly every day with them as there was a dance recital, baseball game, school activity almost every day of the week. On hot summer days, he loved being in the backyard teaching his grandkids how to plant flowers, landscaping his yard, grilling, or playing any kind of outdoor activity for hours on end. More than anything he loved helping his family with any kind of house project and spending every holiday at his home.

Tom was preceded in death by his mother Lois Grace Hire (Andrews) 2010 and his father Richard D. Hire 1999.

He survived by his son Thomas Hire Jr. his wife Keera and three grandchildren, Courtney, Kenny, Cameron of Colorado Springs Co. His younger brother Alan wife Jan Hire of Paola KS. His three sisters Judy husband Mark Pryczynski of Decatur, Illinois, Margaret, husband Don Kunde of Bloomington Illinois and Terri Hire of Overland Park, Kansas. Also surviving are his nieces from Kansas, Ashley, Brittney, Amber. Toms’s nephew from Illinois, Drew and nieces Jana and Jamie.

 Memorial service will be at 11:00 on July 24th 2021 at Lighthouse Presbyterian Church in Paola, KS. Graveside service at 12:00 Paola Cemetary

Contributions can be made in lieu of flowers to Alzheimer’s Association- ALZ.org and The American Legion- legion.org