Tom spent his childhood in Batesville, IN, graduating from Batesville HS in 1949. He spent many years playing sports alongside his younger brother, Jack, including baseball, basketball, and track. One of Tom’s fond memories is holding the Batesville High School record for the 1 mile with a time of 4:49. In 1955, he married childhood friend and high school sweetheart, Freda Heitzman, at Saint Mark Lutheran Church in Batesville.
Tom graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in architecture. He often told the story of a failed class project to design a boat. Tom created the boat out of concrete, laughing because the boat was able to float but was so heavy it wouldn’t move! Before beginning his career, Tom and Freda spent a few years in Bisbee, Arizona where Tom served in the army, based at Fort Huachuca. Tom went on to have a full career in architecture, working for Louis & Scheimer, Wollen Associates, and Ratio Architects, specializing in historical building renovations throughout Indiana.
Tom and Freda settled in Carmel, Indiana to raise their four children. Tom, always the playful competitor, enjoyed spending time playing cards with family and friends. Hearts, 500, and Uno games went late into the night, with Tom, the scorekeeper, often winning! The Lutheran Church was important to Tom, and he was active, serving for many years on the council of King of Glory Church in Carmel.
Tom is survived by son Jay (Kay) of Charlotte, NC, daughters Cathy Eckstein (Darrell) of Scottsdale, AZ, and Beth Laskey of Penryn, CA; grandchildren Ed Weigel, Bethany Weigel Johnson, Mark Eckstein, Ben Eckstein, Jake Eckstein, Jacquelyn Laskey and Clara Laskey; and 4 great grandchildren. Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Freda Heitzman Weigel, his son Mark Frederick Weigel and brother Allen Weigel.
A funeral celebrating Tom’s life will be held at 1:30pm on Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Cornerstone Lutheran Church, 4850 E. Main Street, Carmel IN.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org would be appreciated.
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