Tom Deom

Thomas “Tom” Deom, 56, was born May 29, 1969, in Tell City, Indiana. He grew up north of Troy on a farm, where he developed a lifelong love of animals. Tom passed away peacefully on February 6, 2026, at Indian Creek Healthcare Center in Corydon, Indiana.

Tom was a special needs individual with an intellectual disability who brought joy, laughter, and warmth wherever he went. In his earlier years, he proudly won a medal at the Special Olympics for the baseball throw. He threw the ball so hard that you either caught it—or ended up with a serious bump or bruise.

Tom could be shy at times, boisterous at others, and sometimes he would happily chat your ear off. He loved walking down the hallway with a great big smile, high-fiving everyone he saw or playfully teasing them into an argument. His love for Scooby-Doo was well known, and one of his greatest joys in life was receiving presents. No one loved opening gifts more than Tom. With excitement, he would say, “Lookie Lookie” proudly showing off his treasures. It didn’t matter what the gift was—he could open three boxes containing the same item and react with the same joy every single time.

Tom could expertly play the roles of Mr. Shy, Mr. Loving, Mr. Helper, or Mr. Grump with his famous “No, No, No!” You never knew which Tom you would meet each day—sometimes you met all of them. But his grin, his joy, and the hugs he gave when he saw you could melt your heart.

Tom is survived by his four siblings: Kathy Shireman (Mark) of Lanesville, Indiana; Martha Sue “Susie” Fortwendel (Jerry) of Troy; Frederick “Fred” Deom of Tell City; and Carol Smith (John) of Melbourne, Florida.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Thelma (Richard) Deom; his sister, Regina Deom-Davis; and his brother, William “Bill” Deom.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. CST, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at Zoercher-Gillick Funeral Home, with burial to follow at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST, on Monday, February 9, 2026, and from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Special Olympics.

Condolences may be left online at zoercher-gillickfuneralhome.com.

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