Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020
Thomas 'Smoke' Fortkamp
Thomas N. "Smoke" Fortkamp, age 75, of New Weston passed away peacefully at his home October 30, 2020.
He was provided comfort by State of the Heart Care of Darke County. He was born June 30, 1945 in Marysville.
He is preceded in death by his parents Norbert B. & Doris T (Tomlinson) Fortkamp, and a daughter Melissa Cook.
He is survived by a daughter Valerie Walker grandchildren Josh (Jamie) Cook, Jeremy (Jessica) Cook, Brooke Beavers, Danielle (Zeke) Luna, and Chris (Brittany) Pipenger and several great grandchildren. The Family wishes to include John Fella, the Huwer and Klingshirn families as Tom's lifelong extended family (parents, brothers and sisters).
Thomas graduated from Coldwater High School in 1963. He served in the National Guard and was stationed at Ft. Knox, during this time he was often mistaken for Elvis Presley.
Smoke drove semi-trucks for 46 years. He enjoyed traveling around the country and sharing his almost "unbelievable stories". Smoke was a Virginia Truck Rodeo Champ in 1996. He retired from Consolidated Freightways in 2001 and was blessed with a very nice Union pension. Tom belonged to the Teamsters Local 592.
Dad enjoyed being active in his community and volunteered on the Community Improvement Committee of New Weston. Dad loved traveling to various NASCAR tracks nationwide. He often could be found at Eldora dirt track and met his first wife at Eldora Ballroom. The family is close to his second wife Nancy. Smoke loved his ladies.
A Public Mass of Christian Burial where the family requests western shirts and boots will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at Holy Trinity Church, Coldwater, masks will be required of all attendees and CDC guidelines will be followed. Mass will be livestreamed at http://coldwatercluster.org/content/helpful-links-watch-mass-online. Burial will follow in St. Elizabeth Cemetery.
The Hogenkamp Funeral Home in Coldwater is handling the arrangement.
Memorial contributions may be made to State of the Heart Care of Darke County.
Condolences for the family may be left at hogenkampfh.com.
A celebration of Smoke's Life and Times will immediately follow graveside services. There will be a meal and yellow bellys at Klingshirn and Sons Trucking Yard 14884 St Rt 118 Burkettsville, Ohio. Please come and share your stories about our bootlegging, big personality, beloved friend and give him a good send off. The family thanks everyone for the prayers.
