Tom Trowbridge

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Thomas Edward Trowbridge, Sr., age 88, of Churubusco and Kendallville, passed away Friday, June 20, 2025, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Mr. Trowbridge was born in Kendallville, Indiana, on November 9, 1936, to the late Cecil G. "Zeke" Trowbridge and June E. (Becker) Trowbridge. He married Vonetta Alene Green on April 14, 1954, at Wesley Chapel near Churubusco, Indiana. Vonetta preceded him in death on October 7, 2021. Tom was employed for 29 years with K-Mart Distribution Center in Fort Wayne before retiring in 1992. After retirement, Tom drove truck for Advance Thermal Technologies in Kendallville for 4 years. Tom raised Belgium draft horses on a farm outside Churubusco and he was a longtime member of the Northeast Indiana and Dekalb County Draft Horse Associations. He showed and judged draft horses at the Noble County Fair for many years. He was also a member of the Kendallville and Fort Wayne Eagles Lodge, and he loved to go bowling. He deeply loved his family who will miss him greatly. 

Survivors include:
Daughter, Deborah and Robert Boylan of Churubusco.
Son, Thomas Trowbridge, Jr. of Fort Wayne. 
Daughter, Lorraine and Bruce Shanabarger of Churubusco.

Nine grandchildren including: Michelle (Peter) Szezepanski of Avilla; Jennifer Rainey of Columbia City; Robbie Parish of Wolcottville; Jeffrey Trowbridge of Bryan, Texas; Janelle (Adri) Pitts of Fort Wayne; Violet Hanson of Fort Wayne; Jason Green of Fort Wayne; Michael Shanabarger (Rebecca Havens) of Fort Wayne; and Kelsey Shanabarger (Sir Royan "Roy" Sabatino) of Churubusco. 

16 great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren. 

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Cecil and June Trowbridge; his wife, Vonetta Trowbridge; daughter, Elizabeth Anne Walker; son, Brett Howard Trowbridge; sisters, Barbara Jean Trowbridge, Betty Hart, and Suzanne "Susie" Crace; brothers, Ralph "Jack" Trowbridge, Cecil Trowbridge, Jr., and Warren "Buck" Trowbridge; and a great-great grandson, Jaden Bowman. 

Visitation will be held Tuesday, June 24th from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at Hite Funeral Home in Kendallville.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Hite Funeral Home with Pastor Regan Ford officiating. There will also be visitation at 10:00 AM prior to the service.
Burial will be at Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville.
Donations may be made to Northeast Indiana Draft Association or Dekalb County Draft Horse Association in memory of Tom.

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