Joseph Thomas Haefner, 73, passed away Saturday, March 4, 2017 at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis.
Born in St. Louis to Raymond and Viola Haefner.
Survived by his wife Patricia Haefner (Degenhart) and daughters, Bridget Jennings (Lon), Brenna Henderson (Michael), and Brandee Oppelt (Mark), and eight grandchildren.
Tom was an ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church for thirty years.
He was a remedial reading teacher for Granite City, IL and a volunteer for the Reading Is Fundamental Program for 24 years and put thousands of books in the hands of children too poor to purchase books.
Tom was a cross country coach for Granite City High School.
He also volunteered for the meals program at St. Peter and Paul Church in Soulard where homeless could get a meal without question.
Tom donated his body to the St. Louis University Medical School.
A memorial mass will be celebrated March 18 at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Sullivan, MO.
Memorials maybe made to St. Vincent DePaul Society St. Anthony Church or St. Peter and Paul meals program c/o Brad Emerson, 1919 So. 7th St., St. Louis, MO 63104.