- Date Of Birth: April 14, 1952
- Date Of Death: July 12, 2014
- State: Montana
Thomas Steven Heiman, 62, of Great Falls passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 12, 2014 and, as in life, was surrounded by family and friends.
Tom was born in Sheldon, IA on April 14, 1952, along with his womb-mate and best friend Tim. He was the middle child of nine children born to Jack and Helen Heiman. After graduating from Sheldon High School in 1970, he attended Worthington Jr. College in MN. He started work for Heiman Fire Equipment in 1972, a family business started by his father Jack in 1947. He sold everything from gloves to fire trucks, starting in the Midwest and eventually developing his own territory in Montana and North Dakota, traveling hundreds of thousands of miles. Tom worked for Heiman, Inc. until he retired in 2007.
Tom met the love of his life 40 years ago, Connie Strom, when she was going to school in Sioux Falls. Connie’s father was a fire chief and warned her about fire equipment salesmen, but Tom won her heart (and her family’s), and they were married on her birthday in 1978. He affectionately referred to her as his Doll throughout their entire marriage.
Tom was an active member of the Meadow Lark Country Club for 30 years and found tremendous joy golfing with his buddies on men’s night, the local “Ryder Cup”, an occasional pro-am, the State Am, the Mid Am, the Senior’s, and many golf trips with great friends and often his twin brother Tim.
Tom loved Montana’s great rivers, and shared many days with family and friends rafting, even occasionally catching a fish. He loved to row a boat, but was just as happy to teach someone to row.
He was laid back. Connie had to worry for him because he wouldn’t worry himself. He was the worst at texting; he thought LOL meant lots of love.
Tom was preceded in death by his father, Jack Bernard Heiman and brother, Jerry Dean Heiman, nephew Peter Heiman and father-in-law Slivers Strom.
Tom is survived by his wife of 36 years, Connie; two children, son, Tommy (Jeanne), from his first marriage, of Sheldon, IA, daughter, Kristin and special niece Alex Strom, Great Falls, MT; mother, Helen Heiman of Sibley, IA, brothers, Jack (Donna) Heiman of Citrus Heights, CA, Jim Heiman of Lake Norden, SD, twin brother Tim (Judi) Heiman of Sioux Falls, SD, Bill (Lori) Heiman of Fergus Falls, MN, Ron (Ann) Heiman of Sioux Falls, SD; sisters Debi (Mike) Reiter of West Des Moines, IA, and Pam (Rich) Christ of Sherwood, OR; and three grandchildren, Spencer, Dallas and Charlie Sue, and 18 wonderful nieces and nephews and his mother-in-law, Ruby Strom, Miles City, MT.
A special heartfelt thank you to Bruce Madsen, Doug Bennyhoff and Joe Murphy, who kept Tom fishing, laughing and loving life to the very end.
