Thomas Daw Obituary

Thomas Daw
Born: April 25, 1947
Died: June 13, 2025 in Wadworth, OH
Thomas "Thom" Daw, age 78, of Wadsworth, OH, formerly of Floresville, TX, and Riverside, IL, passed away on Friday, June 13, 2025, in Wadsworth, following a period of declining health.
Born on April 25, 1947, in Melrose Park, Illinois, Thom was the son of the late Edwin and Margaret (Jones) Daw. He graduated from Riverside Brookfield (IL) High School in 1965 and honorably served his country as a Paratrooper in the United States Army during the Vietnam era. On August 12, 1972, he married Ellen Renee Shilt in Brookfield, IL, and together they built a life rooted in love, family, and faith.
Throughout his career, Thom demonstrated a strong work ethic and a commitment to serving others. In Illinois, he built trucks for Hendrickson Manufacturing and was a Quality Control tech for Microwave Cavity Laboratories. In Ohio, he worked in manufacturing and quality control. Most recently he worked as a Maintenance Manager for Magnolia Nursing from 1993 to 1998 before becoming a beloved "Helpful Hardware Man" for Ace Hardware, where he served customers with a smile for 12 years until his retirement in 2010.
A true outdoorsman, Thom found great joy in nature, spending countless hours hunting, fishing, hiking, and practicing taxidermy. His deep love for animals, especially dogs, horses, and deer, led him to volunteer at animal rescue shelters in every community he called home. He was a gentle and generous soul who found God's presence in the beauty of nature and devoted himself to caring for the unloved and abandoned - both animals and people alike. Having been adopted himself, Thom cherished family above all and lived his life with a purpose rooted in compassion, kindness, and service.
In addition to his loving wife, Ellen, Thom is survived by his son, Matthew (Kelly) Daw of Wadsworth; grandchildren, Ever Daw-Powers, Ryan Daw, Molly Daw, and Joseph "Joey" Caito, all of Wadsworth, and Isabel Bedocs of San Marcos, TX; brother-in-law, Jim (Jenny) Shilt of Lombard, IL; sister-in-law, Linda Georgann McInvale of Floresville, TX; and niece, Carol Barnhart of Hazelhurst, WI.
He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Jessie Rebeccah Caito, in 2020.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (stjude.org), or to Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter, 1059 CR 301, Floresville, TX 78114 (wilsoncountynokillanimalshelter.com/donate).
Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.aublefuneralhome.com.