Thomas E. "Tom" Merchant Sr., 55 of Sioux City, passed away Friday, August 14, 2015 surrounded by his family.

Service will be held 10:30am Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at the Waterbury Funeral Service of Sioux City, 4125 Orleans Ave, with Chaplain Patricia Gleason officiating. Burial will follow the service at St. Michael's Cemetery in South Sioux City, Nebraska, with Military Rites provided by the United States Marine Corps. Visitation will be held one hour prior to time of service at the funeral home.

Tom attended South Sioux City Schools. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1977 and was honorably discharged in 1978. In 1980 he married the Love of His Life, Joyce, and they started building their family and life together. He began his drywall business, which he maintained for over 30 years and was very proud of. He liked to “Rock & Roll” as he would say . . . and was extremely talented at it. In 2014 he received a “Rough Around the Edges” award from Able Homebuilders that he was particularly fond of.

When not working, Tom liked to watch football with Joyce, especially when his favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs, were playing. He liked to tell stories of the troubles he got into during his younger days, which could almost always produce laughter. His family was very dear to him and he had special relationships with his children and grandchildren. But one of his favorite pastimes was being on the Missouri river—whether it was taking the family out on his boat, camping, or fishing from the dock and stairs he built with his own hands.

Tom is survived by his wife Joyce; his children Tanya and her husband, Cliff Herman, Tommy Merchant, Renae Merchant and Rachel Merchant and her fiancée Eddie Castillo; his grandchildren David, Christopher, Alyssa, Keagan, Kylie, Tyler, Brayden, Landon, Brody, Kaitlynn, Cydnee and Bentley; his mother Janet Merchant; his siblings Kathy (Dave) Schable, Ken (Becky) Merchant, Rick (Deb) Merchant, Barb (Rami) Mawlawi, Jo (Lee) Madson, and Nancy Schambach.

He was preceded in death by his father, Tim Merchant, maternal grandparents Joe and Florence Hall and paternal grandparents Ed and Mayme Merchant. Tom had a very special relationship with his grandma Mayme.