Thomas "Thom" H. Prokop Obituary (1947

Thomas “Thom” H. Prokop, age 77, of Pontiac, passed away on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 5:55 a.m. at Evenglow Assisted living in Pontiac, IL. Per his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. A rosary and memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at Duffy-Baier-Snedecor Funeral Home in Pontiac. A visitation will be held one hour prior, starting at 10:00 a.m. until the time of the rosary and memorial service. Deacon Ray White will be presiding over his services. Memorials in Thom’s memory may be made to Evenglow Senior Living in Pontiac, IL. Duffy-Baier-Snedecor Funeral Home is entrusted with his arrangements. Thom was born on July 19, 1947, in Chicago, IL, to Henry and Lorraine (Salinksi) Prokop. He married Janie (Crocker) Prokop in April of 1971 in Chicago, IL. Survivors include his former wife: Janie Prokop; Children: Rachel (Jim) Lee, Joe (late wife: Diana Jewell) Prokop, and Becky (Joel) Dodson, all of Pontiac, IL; Grandchildren: Maddie (Devon) Johansen, Hannah Lee, Aidan Lee, Willow Dodson, and Griffin Dodson; one great-grandchild: Henry Johansen. He is also survived by his siblings: Mike Prokop of Chicago, IL, and Cindy Taylor of New Hampshire; and his niece and nephew: Joe Taylor and Danielle Wilson. He is preceded in death by his parents, one brother-in-law: Joe Taylor, and one daughter-in-law: Diana Jewell Prokop. Thom graduated from the Art Institution of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in drafting. He was a traveling Nuclear Engineer until his retirement. Thom had a strong Catholic faith. He was a devoted Catholic who enjoyed going to the chapel at Evenglow every single day before he ate. Thom believed in working hard and made a good living for his family. He believed in working out and taking care of his body and was a competitive body builder in his younger years. He enjoyed fishing, antiques, reading, and tying flies for fly fishing. Thom had an abundance of respect and endless knowledge for Native American history. He also had a great appreciation for food; anyone who knew him knew how big of an appetite he had and just how much he enjoyed food. Above all, Thom loved his family. He made sure to always tell them and show them just how much they all meant to him. He created so many unforgettable memories with his loved ones. Those memories will now forever be cherished by his family. He truly was the best dad, Jaja, brother, and uncle. He will be forever missed by all who knew and loved him. This obituary may be viewed, and a guestbook signed at www.duffyfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.