Thomas A. Fairchild, 93 of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Thursday morning Oct. 14, 2010 at his home with his family at his side.

He was born Aug. 2, 1917 in Chicago to the late Albert H. and Catherine (Murphy) Fairchild.

Tom resided in Sturgis since coming from Pennsylvania in 1985.

On Dec. 31, 1939 he married Dorothy Brown in Niles.

Following 24 years of dedicated employment with the Campbell Soup Co., he retired in 1985. While with the company he had held the positions of director of mushroom operations and was the head of the Mushroom Agriculture Department.

He was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sturgis and was a talented wood carver and enjoyed fishing and old row boats. He truly loved time spent with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army.

He is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Dorothy; two daughters, Carole Day of Crofton, Md., Barbara (Patrick) Baumer of Wausau, Wis.; three sons, Thomas (Pamela) Fairchild, Jr. of Amherst, Wis. and James (Wendy) Fairchild of Batavia, Ill. and Edward (Leanne) Fairchild of Holland, Mich.; 19 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Robert (Eleanor) Fairchild of Niles.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Hackman Family Funeral Homes-Hackman Chapel, 114 South Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091, (269) 651-2331.

A Requiem Mass celebrating the life of Thomas A. Fairchild will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sturgis. The Rev. Canon Meredith Hunt, the Rev. Richard Daly and Deacon Floyd Kunce will officiate.

A graveside committal will follow the Mass at the Union Cemetery, 10408 Pokagon Highway at Painter School Road, Berrien Center, Mich.

The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mr. Fairchild’s memory consider St. John’s Episcopal Church 110 S. Clay St., Sturgis, MI 49091.

The obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com, where personal messages of support may be left for the family.