Thomas L. Breckenridge

Thomas “Tom” L. Breckenridge, 81, of Newton, died Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014, at Newton Village. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 at the funeral home. Memorials to the American Legion Post 111 or the VFW Post 1655 may be left at the funeral home.

Tom, the son of William Alec and Mary Edna (Stevenson) Breckenridge, was born on Jan. 16, 1933, in Colfax. He grew up in Colfax, until moving to Newton, in 1942. Tom graduated from Newton High School in 1952, and then served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Tom was united in marriage with Betty Lou Lackey on Oct. 1, 1955, in Newton. They were blessed with three children, Kristi, Pamela and Jeffrey. Tom worked at the Maytag Company for 38 years, retiring as the maintenance supervisor in 1992. He was a member of the Newton AM/FM Masonic Lodge, VFW Post 1655 and the American Legion Post 111. Tom enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading and attending events for his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-nieces and nephews. He was a loving and caring husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, brother, uncle and friend.

Those left to honor Tom’s memory are his wife, Betty Breckenridge of Newton; children, Kristi (Ken) Nelson of Newton, Pamela Priaulx of Newton, and Jeffrey (Pam Anderson) Breckenridge of Des Moines; grandchildren, Dustin (Christen) Breckenridge, Miranda (Josh) Pollock, Jenna Priaulx, Clint Nelson (Misty Gulling) and Jacob Nelson (Erin Doonan); his one great-granddaughter; seven great-grandsons; sister, Nancy Manatt of Newton; brother, William (Billie Sue) Breckenridge of Blue Springs, Mo.; and sister-in-law, Coleen (Ronnie) Henderson of Colfax. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Edward Breckenridge.