Thomas L. Poddig Sr.

Thomas Poddig Sr., age 65 of Sanford died at the Mid Michigan Medical Center on Saturday, November 14, 2009. The son of the late Henry F. and Pauline (Davis) Poddig was born on January 28, 1944 in Grand Rapids, MI where he was raised and educated. Tom served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1962 to 1968. He attended Ferris State and studied electronics and communications. He had worked as an independent contractor for FedEx until his retirement in 2007. Tom has been a Sanford area resident since 2002 and was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sanford. He was also a member of the AMVets, VFW and the Berryhill Post #165 American Legion. Tom loved the outdoors and enjoyed hiking, fishing and hunting.

Mr. Poddig is survived by a son Thomas (Nancy) Poddig Jr. of
Perry and a daughter Melanie (Jared) Churchill of Lansing and their mother Donna Laeder Poddig. He is also survived by Stacy and Bradley Thacher and their mother Rebecca Horton. He will be missed by his grandchildren: Zachary Hood, Maddison and Alexander Poddig, Abigail, Lilian, Isabelle and Dennis Churchill. Brothers Richard and Robert Poddig of Grand Rapids also survive. In addition to his parents he was pre deceased by a daughter Patricia Poddig.

Funeral service for Mr. Poddig will be conducted at 11:00 AM Thursday, November 19, 2009 from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sanford with Pastor Paul V. Young officiating. Military honors will be conducted under the auspices of the Midland Area Veterans and the U.S. Marine Corp. Visitation will be at the Wilson MILLER Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 and at the church on Thursday from 10:00 AM until time of service. Memorials may be offered to the family. Personal messages of support may be left for the family at www.wilson-miller.com