Thomas Joseph Kukla was born on 24 April 1947 in Bay City, Bay, Michigan.
1,2 He died on 3 February 2014, at age 66, in Bay City, Bay, Michigan.
3,2 He was buried in Great Lakes National Cemetery (Section 11, Site 1170), Holly, Oakland, Michigan.
34 Thomas Joseph Kukla was in Saginaw Steering Gear-Plant 7.
4 Our beloved husband, father, uncle and friend passed away Monday, February 3, 2014 at Toni & Trish House, age 66 years. He was born April 24, 1947 in Bay City to the late Cyril V. and Helen G. (Wojtkowiak) Kukla. Tom married his sweetheart Sandra K. Dennis on February 28, 1970 in St. Hyacinth Church. He graduated from Bay City Central High School in 1965 and later was drafted into the US Army during Vietnam, where he was a combat medic with the 44th Medical Brigade. Tom retired from Steering Gear Plant 7 after 30 years of dedicated service. He was a faithful and devoted catholic. Tom took comfort in and had a special belief in St. Jude one of his patron saints. He was a lifelong member of St. Hyacinth Church and the Administrative Commission for many years. He enjoyed traveling, the Detroit Lions, his Dalmatians: Cody and Domino and muscle cars. Tom's passion was building, restoring, adding horse power and drag racing cars. "Tire Tom or Turbo Tom" as some of you called him also enjoyed to drag race at Tri-City Motor Speedway and Ubly Raceway.
Surviving besides his wife of 44 years Sandy is a son, Kenneth A. (fiancé, Sonya Nash) Kukla, four sisters: Cynthia (Dr. Charles) Kerr, Joanne (John) Szelogowski, Mary (Dennis) Cwiklinski and Kathleen (Allan) DeCatur, two sister in-laws, Karen Martens and Jan (John) Wardynski, many loving nieces and nephews. Tom was predeceased by a sister, Clarice "Lisa" Kukla.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, February 7, 2014 at 10:00am at St. Hyacinth Church. Fr. Edward J. Konieczka and Fr. Jerzy Dobosz will concelebrate Mass and private interment will take place at Great LakesNationalCemetery in Holly. Friends may call at the Ambrose Funeral Home on Thursday from 1:00 to 8:00pm and Friday at church after 9:00am. Military Honors, under the auspices of the Bay County Veterans Council and a Parish Vigil Service for Tom will be held Thursday at 6:30pm at the funeral home. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials Toni & Trish House or "family wishes."
The Kukla family would like to thank Fr. Edward J. Konieczka for being a devoted friend to Tom and his family, all the staff at McLaren Bay Region, McLaren Hospice and Toni & Trish House for their kind and compassionate care. Also, a special thank you to our parish family, car friends, Cindy and Charlie, Mary and Dennis for their continual support and prayers. www.ambrosefuneralchapel.com.