Dr. Thomas Hitzelberger

Dr. Thomas (Tom) Hitzelberger of St. George, Utah, formerly of Medford, Oregon, passed
away suddenly at the age of 83 on March 15, 2023.

Tom was born on November 16, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois, to Marcella and Adolph
Hitzelberger. He grew up with 4 siblings , one older brother, 2 younger brothers and a
younger sister. After graduating from Loyola Academy in Chicago, he attended Regis
College in Denver, Colorado. He played basketball at Regis College and received a
scholarship. Being 6 foot 9, Tom was passionate about basketball and loved his time on the
court. In 1963, he welcomed his daughter Sherri Ann Hitzelberger into the world.

He was driven to pursue his education, and because of this, Tom continued on to earn both
a master's and doctorate degree in Colorado. After completion of his doctoral degree in
1968, he accepted a job in Ashland, Oregon at Southern Oregon College. He developed a
very successful marketing program at the college and made an impact on the lives of many
students. On March 19, 1983, he married Barbara Jean Ridgeway of Medford, Oregon. They
blended their families together and spent over 39 wonderful years of marriage together
until Barbara’s death this past July, 2022.

Tom had a deep love for golf, and he was exceptional at the sport. He scored 7 hole-in-ones
over the years, and he won many golf tournaments with his wife, Barbara. Tom also loved
music and model trains, which both interests and hobbies kept him busy. He was referred
to by his grandchildren as "Papa with the Trains" because of the extravagant train setups
he had over the years.

In 1999, he retired from Southern Oregon. A few years later, in 2003, Tom and Barbara
became snow birds and bought property in Surprise, Arizona. There, they were able to
escape the cold winters in Southern Oregon. In Arizona, Tom joined a band called Strings 'n
Things which he thoroughly enjoyed.

After Barbara’s passing last summer, Tom moved to St George, Utah to be closer to his
siblings. He enjoyed 6 months in Sterling Court Assisted Living. He became very well
known by the other residents, as well as the staff, because of his friendly nature and his
love of singing.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, his parents, and his older brother John. He is
survived by: his daughters Sherri (Paul), Cara (Mike), Lori (Shon), and his son, Bill (Trish).
Grandchildren- Christina, Nick, Erika, Jonny, Trent, Walker, Jake, Tanner, Wyatt, Tyler,
Conner, Justin, and Braden. Great Grandchildren- Riley and Madelyn. Brothers: Paul (Jane),
Richard (Sue) and sister, Joanne (Jerry).

Funeral Service will be held May 5, 2023 at 1:00 pm at Perl Funeral Home with a reception to follow. 2100 Siskiyou Boulevard Medford, Oregon 97504. 541-772-5488.