After two fierce battles against cancer, Thomas Nelson Huggins, of Salina, Kan., went to be with his Heavenly Father on January 17, 2023.

Tom was born April 7, 1951, in Kansas City, Kansas, and by the Grace of God, grew up on a farm with adoptive parents Christine and Paul Huggins. He attended Buckeye Grade School in rural Kanopolis. He attended Kanopolis High School and graduated from Ellsworth High School. He then attended Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., for two years.  Tom worked at Grave’s Trucking, was once an owner of Carol Lee Donuts, and worked many years for Beechcraft/Raytheon until his retirement.

Tom was Christ centered and his membership and church family at Trinity Lutheran Church in Salina were extremely important to him. He loved his family with all his heart, was a proud patriot, Kansan, and country to the core.  He was the kind of man who never met a stranger and loved to talk to everyone.

Tom is preceded in death by birth parents, Dorothy and David Sprowl; adoptive parents, Christine and Paul Huggins; sisters, Violet Sprowl, Clara Clark, Betty Lemons, Edith Sprowl, and Alice Sprowl; and brothers, David Sprowl, Robert Huggins, and Lewis Sprowl.

Tom is survived by wife, Cheryl Huggins; children, Marianne Werner (Rusty), Michael Miller, Dena Ebel (Jeff), Crystal Abbott (Clayton); grandchildren, Jed Werner, Grace Rathbun, Ben Ebel, Carson Abbott, Will Ebel, Juliet Abbott, Jacob Ebel, and Lexi Abbott; and his sister, Diane McCoy.

The family will be holding a viewing and receiving visitors on Sunday, January 22, from 4:00 p.m.to 6:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 9th and Crawford, Salina, Kan.  Service of Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 23, 2023, at Trinity Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at Buckeye Cemetery south of Kanopolis, Kan., at approximately 2:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, left with the church or care of Ryan Mortuary, Salina.