Thomas Ropp

Thomas was born April 4, 1957 in Midland, Michigan to Clarence A. Ropp and Mary Louise (Shannon) Ropp. He passed from this life on Thursday, October 5, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Thomas grew up in Midland, Michigan in a home with nine children, graduating from Meridian High School in Sanford, Michigan, in 1975. As a young man, he worked several jobs. At 18 years of age, on October 31^st, he moved to the Houston, Texas area looking for work opportunities. He settled in Huffman, Texas, living there for the next 42 years.

He married Jane Morrison, and they had a son Derik who passed away in 1990 at the age of two. He then married Cathie Ann Deen and they had two children, Dustin and Hayley.

Tom worked 18 years at a chemical plant, then ran his own business, Deen’s Dirt Yard, for the next 10 yrs. He then worked for Maxim Crane Company as a crane operator, retiring in the Spring of 2022.  He was a member of the International Operators Union, Local 450.

On July 31, 2015, he married Marilyn Keown in Baytown, Texas and they enjoyed a wonderful life together. They had both retired and had the opportunity to travel across the country in their RV for 6 months beginning January 2023, visiting family, friends and making memories. They recently settled in Ninnekah, Oklahoma to get away from the heat and humidity of southeast Texas.

Tom was fiercely devoted to his family and friends, and the kids were everything to him. He was always willing to lend a helping hand and never expected anything in return. He was the most good-natured, hard-working, and steady man. He was a “Daddy that could fix anything” and enjoyed working on anything mechanical, building and home improvements.  There wasn’t a lot that he didn’t know how to do and if he didn’t, he researched and figured it out. Tom enjoyed classic country music, dancing, shooting pool and playing games. He was especially fond of the card game, Euchre but would tolerate Spades. He loved the outdoors and hunting in West Texas, sharing his love of the sport with Dustin and Hayley. He also enjoyed working his big garden, riding his tractor, mowing, and loved his farm.  He had a soft spot for his and Marilyn’s cat, Socks.

He was preceded in death by both parents, his son Derik, and his brother Kim Ropp.

Loved ones left to remember him are his wife Marilyn; son and daughter-in-law Dustin and Candace Ropp and granddaughter Kynlee of Tallahassee, Florida; daughter and son-in-law Hayley and Casey Johnson of Brazoria, Texas; step-sons Kyle Gerstner and partner Adrienn of Wichita Falls, Texas and Chris Gerstner and wife Kierstin of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; siblings and their spouses Ken Ropp and David Griffin, Pam Pfalum, Clarence Ropp and Jerry Evans, Roxanne Ropp, Sue Magee, Jeff and Karen Ropp, and April Medeiros; many nieces, nephews and other extended family and friends.

Tom was valued by all that knew him, and his impact on their lives will not be forgotten.