Thomas "Tom" Mickey

PLEASE NOTE THE DATE OF DEATH HAS BEEN CHANGED TO KEEP OBITUARY CURRENT.

Thomas Anthony Mickey (85) of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away peacefully in Orange Park, Florida on March 26, 2024. Tom was the oldest of 7 children born to William and Mary Mickey on May 27, 1938. A memorial service will be held for Tom in Watertown, South Dakota at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.  Celebration of Life and Dinner get together after the service at Rick and Cyndi Wadsworth's Farm, 18917 446th Ave Hayti, SD 57241.

Tom was born and raised in Lancaster, Ohio. He was an ambitious youngster who worked delivering newspapers and holding the position of caddy master as a teenager at the local golf club. Soon after graduating high school, he and his childhood friend Steve Krepel enlisted in the Air Force, where he proudly served for 8 years. Upon leaving the military, Tom quickly landed a job at the Federal Aviation Administration as an electronics technician. His job took him many places over those 30 years, most notably Tonopah, Nevada; Cold Bay, Alaska; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. He would eventually retire and settle in Watertown, South Dakota, home of his late wife Dianne Mickey. 

Tom had a love for the great outdoors. In his early years he enjoyed golf, but his true passion was all things fishing. He often talked about he and his dad fishing together, using money he earned working a paper route to purchase fishing tackle, rods, and reels. He passed down his enthusiasm for camping, hunting, and fishing to his daughter and 4 sons. Their family often packed up the kids, dogs, and even a pet turkey and drove hundreds of miles in a station wagon to go camping, hunting, and fishing for the weekend. After his retirement, he and Dianne spent time wandering the roads of the USA in a motorhome with dogs, birds, and even fish in tow, camping, looking for yard sales, and fishing together. They both truly lived their best lives.

Tom had an outgoing personality and a natural charisma that made it easy for him to make friends, no matter the situation or where life took him. He was a man of many stories—some factual, while others were questionable. Tom’s witty sense of humor and the ability to be a glorious pain in the neck at times will be sorely missed. Tom was beloved by all who had the pleasure to know him. He was keenly aware of the beautiful life he was blessed with. Tom was genuinely grateful for all the love and kindness shown to him throughout his long life. Tom would often say, emphatically with a chuckle, “The sun always shines on Angel Mickey.”

Tom is survived by his children, Cynthia Wadsworth (Rick) of Hayti, South Dakota, Thomas C. Mickey (Teresa) of Middleburg, Florida, William Mickey of Milton, Florida, Steven Mickey of Watertown, South Dakota, and Alan Mickey of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; 7 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Ruthann Krepel of Queen City, Arizona, Jane Nash (Tom) of Phoenix, Arizona, and Bernadine Bolen (Dave) of Orange Vale, California; and many nieces and nephews.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Dianne Mickey; his parents, William and Mary Mickey; two sisters, Bernadette Chandler-Smuda and Virginia Doran; his stepson, Mark Gilland; and his granddaughter, Halee Mickey.

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