Rob Tong
December 1, 1963 ~ February 8, 2014
Rob Tong, 50, of Miller, passed away Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller.
Funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller with Rev. Brian Jones officiating. Burial followed at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. A prayer service was held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at the church.
Robert Dean Tong was born to Diana (Huisman) and Bob Tong on December 1, 1963. He attended Mondamin School through the 8th grade and graduated from Miller High School in 1982. He worked for John McEnelly at the Purina Feed Store right out of high school. His love was always how things worked and he wanted to farm. He made that desire into a reality. He took a lot of pride in the farm and his handy work is evident everywhere we look.
When the “south hand “ community banded together to make a place for a fire truck donated from the Miller Fire Department, the South Hand Fire Department was born. Rob became the local fire chief and devoted his time to the cause. Rob enjoyed having coffee with the neighbors, playing cards, watching Nascar races. He always had time to help out a neighbor, to talk about the crops, to discuss machinery. Rob loved animals, watching wildlife, and hunting deer.
On Jan 16, 2014, Rob was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer at Avera St Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, SD. He endured a whirlwind of procedures by his medical team in Aberdeen who tried everything humanly possible. On Friday Jan 31st, he received word that they could not do anymore. Rob came back to Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital to be close to his friends and family.
Rob is survived by his mother and father, Diana and Bob Tong of Miller; his brother, Jeff Tong (Jane Keller) of Miller; three aunts, Gloria Myers of Ipswich and family, Susie Hammond and family of West Portsmouth, Ohio, and Malita Swank and family of Hillsboro, Ohio; and uncle, Bernie (Ginger) Huisman and family of Miller.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Robert and Mary Tong; uncle, Steve Tong; his maternal grandparents, Dean and Elaine Huisman and uncle, Dave Myers.
In lieu of flowers; memorials may be directed to your local fire department and ambulance service.
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Bob, Diana, & Jeff, We are so saddened by the loss of your son Rob. Please know that you remain in our thoughts and prayers. May God wrap his loving arms around you and sustain you during this difficult time. Debbie & Melvin Brueggeman
Bob, Diana, and Jeff,
We are deeply saddened to hear of Rob’s passing…I have so many fond memories of times spent with all of you in the past. I know that Rob will be deeply missed by you all, other family, and the many people who were blessed to know him and call him a friend! May the Lord hold you close in this time of great sorrow and may He make His presence in your lives known in the days to come! Again, our deepest sympathies.
Tim, Erin (Engel), Gabriel, Owen, Jaiden and Finley Fauske
Wall, SD
Dearest Bob, Diana and Jeff,
Words can not express the shock and sadness from hearing of Robs passing. I have many fond memories of him and his great smile. Prayers and thoughts are with you. The Lord gained a great one.
Laura
Diana and Bob,
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your son. May the happy times and pleasant memories help to ease your pain.
I am saddened to hear of Rob’s passing. He was a wonderful man. I will never forget all the fun times with him when I was growing up.
I am so saddened and sorry to hear of Rob’s passing. My heart goes out to you-Bob, Diana, Jeff and family. I am proud to have known Rob and his hard working, soft spoken personality.
My family and I send our prayers and comforting thoughts to you all. Rob was one of the first people I worked with her in public safety. I picked him up while chasing a tornado and a deer ran into my car and through his door window. Rob was covered in deer hair and we all enjoyed a great laugh! I will miss our visits! God Bless you all!
Our deepest sympathy
Our deepest sympathy is with you all in this time of loss. What an angel we have all gained. Bob,Diana,Jeff know that we will be praying and thinking of you all in the days to come that God will comfort you. Again our sympathy is with you all.
So sorry to hear of Robs passing,at least he has peace and joins many of his friends,with deepest sympathy. My thoughts are with you.
Ellen Kay
Sorry for your loss.
We are praying for you all. We will always think of Rob’s smiling face as we enter the Hiway store and cherish the times we had with him.
We were so sorry to hear of Rob’s passing. Our prayers go with you!
Bob Diana and Jeff,
I am sorry for your loss.
Mark Little
Bob,Diana&Jeff
I am so sorry to hear about Rob,
I’ve always heard that he was one
of the best.Try to always think of
all the good times. He’s in Gods
care now. You are all in my prayers.
Love & Prayers,
Susie & family
I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers. Rob was a great guy and heaven has gained an angel. His smile will be missed by all.
I am sorry for your loss. Your family is in our prayers!
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Tong family.
So sorry to hear another young life lost way to soon.
Our deepest sympathy to you.
Delmar & Patty Fawcett
Sorry to hear about the passing of your son, brother Rob. Gary and I hope you can find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain and we express our sympathies. Cherish all the memories and hold them near and dear to your hearts.
Thoughts and prayers are with the Tong family.
Bob, Diana and Jeff — I am still in shock to hear of Rob’s passing. Seems like only yesterday i was spending time on the farm. My thoughts and Prayers are with you all.
Bob, Diana, and Jeff:
My heartfelt sympathies to you as you mourn the loss of Rob. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
chanda
Dear Bob, Diana & Jeff; Our Deepest Sympathy to all of you with the loss of Rob. I know there are no words to ease the pain at this time, but know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear Diana, Bob and Jeff! We are so sorry to hear what happened with Rob. He was definitely too young. The only comfort is that he doesn´t have to suffer anylonger. We will always remember him as a very kind and friendly person. We hug all of you!
Dear Tong Family,
We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.
Tim and Jen Malloy
Our deepest sympathy to your family during this time. Rob’s smile and kindness will be missed by all.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love You
To Diana,Bob,Jeff and extended family. We want to extend our sincere sympathy in the loss of your son and brother. It is, impossible for me to understand how tragic it would be to have to bury one of my children. We have to be out of town through Thursday, so will not be able to be with you in person but we are with you in our hearts and prayers
Tong family,
My deepest sympathies are with you all! Jeff, losing a brother is losing part of your soul, the ache is incredible…I wish I had healing words for you right now but nothing I say can take away the ache. I’m sorry.
We are so sorry for the loss of your son, Rob. May God fill your hearts with good & happy memories of your son to help ease your pain.
Please know that we will keep you in our thought and prayers.
Love, Kathy & Rich
We little knew that morning that God was going to call Rob home.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone, for part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
The family chain is broken, and nothing will be the same, but as God calls you one by one, the chain will link again.
Some day you will be with him again. Love and Prayers
Dan, Malita and family
You are in my thoughts and prayers!
God Bless each of you until you meet again in Gods Glory!!
Donna Grohs Satter
A kind and gentle soul who will truly be missed. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Bob,Diane and Jeff
So sorry to hear about Rob-you have been in my thoughts and prayers. Your sorrow is shared by many.
I am so sorry to hear Rob’s passing. I pray for the day your pain will lessen, and sweet memories increasingly take it’s place. The day will come that you will breathe again….without having to remind yourself to.
Our deepest sympathy, Heidi and Greg Bailey
Memory is the only paradise from which we can not be expelled.
I am very sorry to hear Rob passed.
my sympathy to all of you. Hold on to all the good memories, no one can take them away from you. May God Bless you during this very difficult time in your life.5765JL
Our sympathy goes out to family and friends in your great loss. Jeff and Sherry Fannimg
So sorry for your loss. Our sympathy and prays go out to you.
George and Judy North
So sorry to hear about Rob. My thoughts are with you all.
We are so sorry to hear of the passing of Rob. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. I remember Rob’s huge smile each and everytime we would meet in the hallways at school. His smile would light up a room. Thinking of you at this sad time.
Your family has my deepest sympathy. May God give you the strength you need right now and give you his peace!!! I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers!!!! God Bless!
Dear Bob and Family,
So sorry to hear of the loss of your son.
Your horse buddy in Ohio
Steve Thompson
Dear Bob, Diana and Jeff – We are unable to be with you today but our thoughts and prayers are with you all. We pray that you will find peace and comfort with your memories.
God Bless.
Bob and Sharon Taylor
Tea, South Dakota
Dear Bob, Diana, and Jeff,
I am so sorry about the death of Rob. I so wish Warren and I could have been there to show our sympathy and give you hugs. You all were so helpful to me in all the times that I went through times like these. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. No words can be said to how you are feeling right now. All I can say is I am sorry. We love you guys.
Love and Prayers from,
Warren and Joanne
My mother Ardessa taught Rob at Mondamin, and I know she would be most heart-broken over his passing. Rob is a part of many memories from childhood: the priviledge of being raised in South Hand and growing up on a farm, attending country school (Recess!), school programs and end-of-the-year school picnics for the fmaily and community, baseball, car races at Miller, the Old Settlers picnic with the Tongs and their horses…just so many happy times in the past with Rob and his family playing a great part! Much heartfelt sympathy to the family.
Our sincere sympathy on Rob’s passing.
I am so sorry for your loss. I have a lot of memories of our families spending time together. Whenever I would visit in the Miller area and would see Rob he would always take the time to say “hello” and visit. He was a very special man who will be sorely missed. You are in my prayers at this very difficult time.
My condolences to Robby’s friends and family.
Deepest sympathies to you and your family. You are all in our prayers.
God Bless