Thomas Anthony Walz

After a battle with leukemia and COVID-19, our beloved Thomas Anthony Walz, 74, of Meridian, Idaho, passed away on December 1, 2020, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. Tom was born on August 5, 1946, in Defiance, Ohio to Anthony and Mary Alice (Fender) Walz. He attended St. Mary's Catholic School and graduated from Defiance Senior High School in 1964. Growing up, Tom worked many jobs such as an upholsterer, a door-to-door vacuum salesman, and a delivery boy for the Crescent News. It was in Defiance, on the Maumee, Tiffin, and Auglaize Rivers, that he developed his lifelong love of boating, swimming, and skiing. He was famous to family and friends for hydrofoil skiing, which allows the rider to hover above the water. Tom graduated from Defiance College in 1968, and enlisted in the United States Navy where he served four years. It was at Great Lakes Naval Training center where Tom met his future wife, Beth (Netzer) Walz. They were married at St. Mark's Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on December 20, 1969. In Defiance, Tom worked at Dinner Bell Foods for many years. He earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Toledo and went on to have a successful career in management in the sugar industry, working for American Crystal Sugar (Moorhead, MN), C&H Sugar (Crockett, CA), and Amalgamated Sugar (Nampa, ID). Even after “retirement,” Tom just never quit, joining the ranks of school bus drivers in Meridian. Tom’s life involved his faith, family, and friends. A lifelong Catholic, Tom remained active throughout his life, participating in many forms of ministry, as an altar boy, as part of Knights of Columbus, serving as president of St. Vincent De Paul for the local parish, and participating in and facilitating Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, and Life in the Spirit retreats. Tom was a member of the Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian, where he served as a lector and was a member of the Spirit of the King prayer group. Tom was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and uncle. He enjoyed attending recitals, sporting events, and plays and was always quick to provide practical help wherever he could. When grandchildren arrived, he became known as the Poppy, and everyone loved when he proudly set up his vintage railroad train set to light up Christmas. Tom was known for his generosity of spirit and his hospitality and made many treasured friends throughout his life, with whom he enjoyed going to lunch, attending boat or car shows, and tinkering with cars or motorcycles. He was the Grillmaster and cooked many of his signature marinated steaks for friends and family over the years. He loved playing games with the family, collecting stamps, and completing jigsaw and crossword puzzles. Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Anthony and Mary Alice Walz, and sister, Mary Cecilia Walz. He is survived by his wife, Beth Walz; children: Jennifer Walz (Meridian, ID), Tony Walz (Fargo, ND), and Tom Walz (Studio City, CA); and granddaughters: Ashley Nicely and Josephine Walz. A Mass of Christian Burial will held at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 6300 N. Meridian Rd. in Meridian, Idaho, on Wednesday, December 9th at 11:00 AM. A Rosary will begin at 10:00 AM. If you are unable to attend in person please join the family virtually at https://www.facebook.com/holyapostles.church/ Memorials for Tom can be given in his memory this Christmas Season to those in need or to your local St. Vincent de Paul.