BOONE, Iowa—Thomas John McDonough, 77, of Boone, passed away Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at his home.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, August 19, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church, 703 Greene Street, Boone, IA. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the church.
Tom was born to Clyde and Inez (Koch) McDonough on October 25, 1945. He was born in the Storm Lake hospital and came home to the farm south of Schaller, where he spent his life through high school. Tom attended Cook County School, then transferred to Schaller Community School from which he graduated.
Tom was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church of Schaller, where he remained a member until moving to Boone. While a member of the church he served on session, was a deacon, and a member of the choir.
In 1963, Tom left the farm to work in Perry as an electrician to build the IBP plant. In 1965, he came back to the farm to marry his high school sweetheart E. Kay McDonough on August 8, 1965.
Tom’s favorite things were watching his kids and grandkids in sports, farming, raising livestock, especially horses. He loved Belgian horses, but with the influence from his sons, he became a lover of mules, of which he raised many.
Tom and Kay settled outside of Schaller where they raised their family. In 1990, they moved to Boone with their youngest son, Ross. They purchased a very needy acreage and began rebuilding everything. Tom loved fixing up outside buildings and helping the kids remodel their houses. At this time, Tom, was also working for Story County Construction, after one year, he began work on G&D Waste Management with his uncle Dean Pfrimmer. Due to Dean’s retirement, Tom moved to Structural Components in Boone. He went to work with Rob and Abby Morain on the vending route, from 2002-2019 when he retired.
Tom was a person who loved to work, always building, fixing things around the farm, and working with animals. He loved his kids, grandkids, great grand babies, trail rides and mule shows. He got great enjoyment from raising donkeys, and would spend hours on the patio just watching them.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Richard McDonough; brother-in-law, Ronald Grieme; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Tom is survived by his wife of nearly 58 years, Kay McDonough; children, Scot (Connie) McDonough, Trent (Char) McDonough, Abby (Rob) Morain, and Ross (Amy) McDonough; grandchildren, Wade (Lacey) McDonough, Drew (Lexie) McDonough, Tonia (Tanner) Berry, Madison (Corey) Stopak, Cody (Haley) McDonough, Lane McDonough, Levi (Meagan) Morain, Kade (Jenna) Morain, Mahala (Anthony) Michelson, Gage Morain, Jaden McDonough, Alex McDonough, and Taylor Acklin; two great-grandsons, Cooper William Stopak and Thomas John Morain; sister, Karen Grieme; and two brothers, Dean (Mayrean) McDonough and Dale (Jodie) McDonough.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Online condolences may be left to Tom’s family at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.
