Thomas "Tom" William Dindo

Thomas "Tom" William Dindo, 76, passed away unexpectedly on September 26th, 2022.  He is survived by his wife, Kathryn "Kitty" (Warther); sons Carl (Maggie) and Paul (Erika); daughter Joyce (Sean) McKinniss; and his beloved grandchildren: Flora, Alice Bea, Rowan, Remy, Garth and Kayleigh. He was the devoted son of Gladys (Foster) and Gene Dindo and brother to Dorothy "Dot" Kantz, all of whom predeceased him.

Tom was born September 25th, 1946 and grew up in New Philadelphia, OH.  He graduated from New Philadelphia High School in 1965.  He had a strong focus on athletics and described himself as a "big, dumb tackle" on the football team.  He also threw shotput and at one point held the school record.  His love of music burgeoned during high school where he played the upright bass in a musical combo.  This life-long passion often resulted in Tom spending hours listening to his favorite artists, creating playlists, and attending concerts.  Tom was also in the Boy Scouts, with his father as his troop leader, and often nostalgically recalled his summers at Camp Tuscazoar.  He was very proud of his son, Paul, who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Tom cherished the life-long relationships made during this period of his life, and he remained connected to a cohort of high school friends up until his last days.

Tom then served over three years in the United States Army as a Petroleum Products Analyst and completed a stint in Vietnam.  During his time in the military, he accrued multiple medals for his service and expertise and became an instructor for new service men at Ft. Lee, VA.  Tom remained connected to his army buddies and greatly enjoyed playing golf and visiting with them through the years. It was during his time in the military that Tom married his high school sweetheart, Kitty, and they were married for 53 years. When he was discharged in 1970, they returned to Ohio and attended the University of Akron, both graduating with their Bachelor's in Accounting and eventually becoming Certified Public Accountants.  Tom worked for a regional accounting firm and privately-held businesses for over 10 years until he made the decision to shift careers.

Following the birth of his children, Tom volunteered to stay home and was the original "Mr. Mom."   Atypical for the time, Tom felt great pride and joy in his role.  He served as the glue that kept his family of five together, with the help of his trusty Cocker-Spaniel sidekick, Candy.  He could often be seen in the kitchen, experimenting with a dinner that his children would initially scoff at and later devour.  Moreover, Tom not only excelled as a caretaker, he took on the additional role of soccer, basketball, and volleyball coach for his kids, offering guidance and mentorship that extended beyond athletics.  Even after he stopped coaching, he continued to support his children's sporting adventures, attending every soccer, volleyball, and basketball game.

Tom was known for and loved his "boondoggles" (AKA roadtrips).  When his children were young, the Dindo family would often drive across the country on vacation.  His love and respect of the U.S. landscape was demonstrated in a significant accomplishment: he visited every National Park in the lower 48 states, as well as many in Alaska and Hawaii.  These early road trips, often weeks at a time, took Tom and his family to spectacular and unspoiled areas of the country.  Always one with a camera, Tom's recording of these moments captured beautiful and hilarious moments.  It would only be later in life that his children would understand the profound importance of these family getaways and the memories they created, instilling a similar appreciation for travel and family in each of them uniquely.

Tom's athletic prowess didn't end in high school.   He would often modestly exclaim that he was an "avid, very average golfer."  Despite Tom's humility, all who knew him would agree that golf was more than a hobby.  In fact, some thought that his employment at Golf Galaxy after his kids went to college was merely a ploy to be around golf even more.  Another accomplishment he achieved included playing at least two courses in all 50 states.  And even after his diagnosis, cancer couldn't keep him away from his passion.  It should be noted that his attempts at coaching his children to learn the nuanced techniques of golf often resulted in more laughter and lost balls than bogeys and birdies.  Nevertheless, it was clear to all who played with Tom that golf wasn't about strokes and scores, but rather time spent with each other, enjoying nature and doing something that he loved.

While Tom's roles and identities shifted from son to husband to father over the course of his life, he felt a special pride about his role of "Grandpa."  Never ceasing to amaze all of us with his special and unique balance of warmth and tenderness, sense of humor, and practical grit, his grandchildren were all loved by a man who deeply understood the immeasurable value of being "present" and giving all of himself, while also taking advantage of any opportunity to laugh and point out to his own children the karmic retribution inherent to being parents.

And while much of this only scratches the surface of what Tom "did,” there is no end to the amount we could write about who Tom was and the legacy that he will leave in his passing.  We will always remember Tom's/Dad's/Grandpa's compassionate, generous, humble, thoughtful, selfless and reflective nature.  Ever the “gentle giant”, he had a way of making us each feel loved and valued, and he cared deeply about the friends and family he had in his life, far more than the things he did.  It is this legacy that we will all carry forward, offering an opportunity to embody Tom in each of us and our connections with one another.

Please come and celebrate Tom's life with family and friends at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., between the hours of 4pm and 7pm on Sunday, October 2, 2022.  A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Hilary Church at 11:00am on Monday, October 3rd.  A lunch for family and friends will be served immediately following in the Spiritual Center.  Graveside service with military honors will take place on Tuesday morning, October 4th at 11:00am at St. Joseph’s Calvary Cemetery in Dover, OH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to:

The Dindo Family Fund at St. Hilary Parish Foundation
2750 West Market St.
Fairlawn, OH 44333

The Kathryn Warther Dindo and Thomas William Dindo Endowed Scholarship Fund
The University of Akron Foundation
Department of Development
Akron, OH 44325-2603

Services in care of The Billow Funeral Homes & Crematory, Fairlawn Chapel, 85 N. Miller Road Akron, OH  44333