Thomas Cloutier

Thomas "Tom" Cloutier, age 71, of Faribault, died suddenly from complications of Amyloidosis on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 2:30 p.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault, with Bernadette Tatge, Pastoral Minister of Divine Mercy Catholic Church, officiating. Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Faribault.
Memorial visitation will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Thomas Albert Cloutier was born in Faribault, MN on November 25, 1940 to Rene and Elizabeth (LeMieux) Cloutier. He graduated from Sacred Heart School, Bethlehem Academy and Mankato State College. Tom served in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Tom was employed for 37 years at Truth Hardware in Owatonna and retired as the model shop supervisor in 2009. Tom crafted and manufactured the unique hinges for the Statue of Liberty's Crown Windows for the bicentennial celebration and was given a commemorative gold medal for his work. Tom also holds three patents with his co-workers for developing a handle and dual point latch and lock for a sliding patio door.
Tom was treated at Mayo Clinic since 2008 when he was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare blood disease affecting about eight persons per million annually. During treatment, Tom participated in clinical trials and graciously did whatever he could to further medical research on amyloidosis.
Tom was kind-hearted and extremely generous with his time. Many people will remember his devotion to his mother and his daily visits with her and others at St. Lucas Care Center. Tom was mechanically gifted in that he could fix or create a solution to most anything so he often helped family and friends with repairs of guns, lamps or whatever broken object or problem they brought to him; he viewed these projects as an enjoyable challenge. Some of his hobbies included building things like kayaks and guns and restoring his '51 MG Roadster and 1929 Model A Ford. He enjoyed archery, hunting & fishing, engraving, snow skiing, hiking and biking. He was an avid reader.
Tom was predeceased by his brother John in 1985 and his parents Rene in 1989 and Elizabeth in 2008. Tom is survived by his 5 siblings: Marie (Bernard) Fleming of Long Valley, NJ, Arthur (Marie Murphy) Cloutier of Page, AZ, Lucille (Nicholas) Contorno of Dousman, WI, Jeanette (Nicholas) Salm of Antigo, WI and Helen (Bruce) Halverson of Andover, MN.
Tom is also survived by his maternal aunt Lucy Jones, 12 nephews and nieces, 16 great nephews and nieces, many other relatives and his close friends John and Pat Chappuis and Arthur Soeters, both of Faribault.
Contributions made in memory of Tom can be sent to the River Bend Nature Center in Faribault.