Thomas E. Sink

Thomas E. Sink, 80,  passed away Wednesday, Jan. 13 at his home with his family close to his side.

He was born Oct. 8, 1940 in Waterloo, son of Clyde and Marcella (Miller) Sink. Tom graduated high school from St. Mary’s High School in 1958. After graduation, he became part of the Apprenticeship Program at John Deere for foundry technology, where he worked in Waterloo, and later the Quad Cities, until his retirement in 2000 as a General Superintendent. June 22, 1963, he married Karen Carey at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lake City, MN. In 1963, he was drafted by the US Army, serving in active duty, honorably discharged in 1970. Tom became an ordained deacon in the Catholic Church in 1979, serving St. Patrick’s in Cedar Falls and St. Johns Vianney in Bettendorf, retiring from diaconate in 2010, but continuing a life devoted to service to others.

Survived by: his wife: Karen of Cedar Falls; three children: Kevin (Angie) Sink of Muscatine, Andrea (Dave) Rys of North Richland Hill TX, and Kathryn (Jeff) Hackman of Charles City; five sisters: Susan (Dave) Douglas of Waterloo, Kathy (Ray) Moore of Waterloo, Barb (Jim) Burns of Waterloo, Betsy (Dan) McDougall of Dunkerton, and Jody (Jim) Session of Yuma, AZ; two brothers: Joe (Mary) Sink of Raymond and David Sink of Waterloo; 13 grandchildren; and countless nieces and nephews: including godchildren Lincoln Sink and Teresa Barnett.

Preceded in death by: his parents; his parents-in-law; granddaughter: Camryn Harness; two brothers: Jim and Dan Sink: a sister: Carol Goodrich; two in infancy: Rosemary and Jerry Sink; and sister-in-law: Linda Sink.

Tom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018, a disease that has been devastating to the Sink Family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Battle for Betsy, a charity created in honor of one of his sisters and in support of Alzheimer’s research at https://www.facebook.com/donate/2905358299704930/ or directly to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Due to COVID- 19, a private family Mass of Christian burial will occur Monday, Jan. 18 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Falls with inurnment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Waterloo. Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday at Richardson Funeral Service. All COVID-19 guidelines will be followed, including masks and social distancing. Online condolences may be left at www.richardsonfuneralservice.com.