Thomas Joseph Chiplis

As a child he was given the job of taking a wagon to pick up ice and bring it home to his family, and helped take care of his mother’s canaries. He also delivered the newspaper and there is a short family film his brother Felix made of him on his newspaper route, with brother Bob posing as a buyer. As an adult he was dedicated to reading the paper daily.

As an adult, he loved to fix things, and built a modernist tree house (without a tree) for his children. He was an expert at tying knots.

Tom was born in Indianapolis and graduated from Emmerich Manual High School. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Coast Guard during WWII, training in New York and Connecticut for Sonar School. His assignments included the North Atlantic (stationed in Greenland), then through the Panama Canal into the Pacific and around the Philippine Islands.

After the war, he returned home to study at Purdue University where he met the love of his life, Margaret, at a Catholic mixer.

He was a car enthusiast, and greatly enjoyed a succession of convertibles- including a Mustang (which could carry a surprising number of children!) and a Corvair. He volunteered for the United States Auto Club for the Indy 500, and was part of the 1968 USAC Certification Committee.

He worked as a mechanical engineer for Rotz Engineering, starting as draftsman as a teenager and rising to President before his retirement. At Rotz, he worked with architects in and around Indianapolis, on landmarks such as the Federal Building and Clowes Hall. He worked on multiple buildings at St. Meinrad; the ‘new’ Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, and the restoration of the Athenaeum, and many more. He was honored by the American Institute of Architects for service to the profession.

In retirement, he volunteered for the Meridian Street Preservation Commission, was a member of the Serra Club supporting vocations in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and with Margaret helped out at Boulevard Place Food Pantry. He enjoyed a monthly breakfast club of retired engineers. A lifelong Catholic, he was an active and devout member of his parish, St. Thomas Aquinas. He was a member of the parish council for many years, sharing his knowledge of building systems.

He was beloved by his wife of 69 years, Margaret, his six children, Mary (Kevin Turner dec., Bob Timma), Beth (Dave Anderson), Tim, Martha (John Dunlevy), Carol, Chris (Lisa Chiplis), and seven grandchildren, Rose, Ben, Patrick, Katie, Max, Wyatt, Haley.

Preceded in death: parents Felix and Louise, wife Margaret, brothers Felix and Robert, and another much-loved daughter, Sheila (Ron).

A visitation for Tom will be held Tuesday Nov. 12th, 2024 from 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Crown Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery, 700 W. 38th St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46208. A visitation will occur 9:30 AM Wednesday Nov. 13th at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 4600 N Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46208. A funeral mass will be held Wednesday Nov. 13th at 10:30 AM at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 4600 N Illinois St, Indianapolis, IN 46208.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to St. Meinrad in support of Catholic vocations, and St. Vincent de Paul Society.