Thomas A. Friday

Thomas Anthony Friday, 49, has ended his journey here on earth and has joined the angels in heaven.

Thomas was born on October 27, 1967 in Cheboygan, MI the first of three children born to Thomas (Tom) and Peggy (Goral) Friday.  He attended Inverness Elementary School, Cheboygan Jr. High, and then Cheboygan High School where he graduated in 1985. He died in Cheboygan on September 8, 2017 after a long battle with cancer.

Tom's bonds in Cheboygan and the beautiful countryside of Northern Michigan were strong. He worked at the Inverness Dairy for many years. He lived in Cheboygan his entire life except for the times he visited his sister in California.  Although he loved visiting California and he would often stay for several months, Michigan was always his home and the place he loved the most.

His beautiful legacy will live on through his beloved six nieces and one nephew, other family members and many cherished friends both near and far.

Tom was a gift to everyone that knew him.  He leaves behind a legacy of courage, strength, and love of the outdoors. He was constantly sharing his wisdom about hunting, fishing, gardening, and outdoor survival. Every “Opening Day” was a holiday for him and the excitement of opening day was contagious to everyone around. Tom loved reading. He always had a book close by. He loved to share what he learned from the latest hunting magazines with everyone that would listen. Thomas was a very early riser. After his first battle with cancer, 23 years ago he promised to enjoy every sunrise that would be given to him. You would often find him awake at 4:30am waiting to greet the sun as it slowly peaked over the horizon and he was so very grateful to do so. His energy and passion for life was remarkable.  His love for his family, his neighbors, and this country was exceptional.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Peggy (Goral) Friday; four grandparents Fred and Edith (Socolovitch) Friday, August and Dorothy (Baller) Goral; three aunts, Patsy (Goral) O’Brien, Linda (Goral) Carpenter, Diane Goral;  three uncles, Donald Lyons,  Fred Friday and Joseph O’Brien, and cousin Dean Lyons.

Thomas will be deeply missed by his brother, Michael Friday and his wife Rachelle (Deitze) Friday; sister, Michele (Friday) Dawson and her husband Matt Dawson; six nieces, Raylie, Mia, and  Sienna Dawson and Dakota, Sierra, and  Cheyanne Friday;  nephew , Jack Dawson; aunts and uncles, Bob Friday and his wife Mary, Sarah Lecureux and her husband Bruce, Marilyn Baier, Bob Goral and his wife Doris, Donna (Goral) Michael and her husband David, Jim Goral, Jacqueline (Goral) Knight and her husband Richard, Jim Carpenter; and best friend for life, Tim Borowicz.

Visitation will be held at the Nordman-Christian Funeral Home in Cheboygan on Thursday, September 14, 2017 from 2:00pm-4:00pm, and 6:00pm-8:00pm.  A service to celebrate Thomas’s life will be held Friday, September 15, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Cheboygan, with his family greeting friends beginning at 10:00am.  Rev. Dave Hueter will officiate, burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Riggsville.

Memorials may be made to his family, who will choose a charity in his memory, or the charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.stonefuneralhomeinc.com.

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