Thomas J. Coomes died Sunday, June 27, 2010, at his home in North Canton, surrounded by his family. He was 80.Tom was married to his wife, Helen, for 56 years, and their family has grown to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was proud of how much love his family shares. Tom was born April 24, 1930, in Louisville, Ky. He was one of 18 children of William and Mary Coomes. As a child, Tom moved with his family to Alabama and later to Ohio. He was introduced to his future wife at a dance at the Slovak Club in Canton. He married Helen in 1953 at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Canton. He was drafted to the Army in 1955 and was stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Benning in Georgia, where he trained as a medic. After his military service, Tom and Helen moved to their home in North Canton, where they raised four children, Karen, Michael, Mary Ellen, and Patricia. The family attended Saint Paul Catholic Church, where all four children were married. In 1959, he opened his own fiberglass fabricating business, U.S. Fiberglass Products Inc., in Middlebranch. During fishing season, Tom spent weekends with his family and friends on his boat in Lake Erie, catching walleye and perch.Tom had a larger-than-life personality. At the end of a conversation, he would often say, "Behave yourself. And if you don't, call me, and I'll come help." He was generous and hospitable to his large family and to his friends and neighbors, and he loved good food. He was always busy in his kitchen, roasting a prime rib or simmering homemade soup. He and Helen hosted a fish fry each year and served the fish caught on his boat. During growing season, the back of his truck was full of baskets of vegetables that he tended carefully in his expansive garden, and he shared tomatoes, peppers, corn, squash, and beans with everyone he came across. He is survived by his wife, Helen; his children and their spouses, Karen Luster of Canton, Michael and Andrea Coomes of North Canton, Mary Ellen and Tom Fetrow of Canton, Patricia and Ricky Loudin of Ona, W.V.; grandchildren Benjamin (Gina) Luster, Adam (Janet) Luster, Joshua (Erika) Luster, Jennifer (Christopher) Rohrer, Jessica (Anthony) Coomes, Stephanie Coomes, Bradley Fetrow, Douglas (Sarah) Fetrow, Kathryn Fetrow, Thomas Loudin, and Anna Loudin; great-grandchildren Trystan, Xavier, Adam Jr., Paige, Mason, Preston, Max, Juliana, Tori, and Courtney; brothers Joseph "Buddy" (Judy) and Ted (Beverly); sister Joan (Tom) Akins; sisters-in-law MinnieRee, Mary Ann, Edna, Ellen, and Pam; and many loved nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Mary (Shircliff); brothers William C., Richard, Joseph E., William W., Leonard, James, Robert, Edward, and Kenneth; and sisters Mary (Herman) Kline, Frances (Paul) Adolph, Martha (Edward) Karg, E. Bernadette Coomes, and Angela Ernst. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 12 noon Thursday, July 1, at Saint Paul Catholic Church in North Canton with the Rev. Fr. Christopher Henyk officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Hills Memory Gardens.