Born in Ruma, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) just before World War II, Stefan was the son of Barbara (Medjeral) and Martin Tossmann. His mother was Croatian and his father German. They lived in a little town called Ruma where he spent fourteen years of his life until the Nazi’s occupied the town. The family moved to Austria where he spent the rest of his teen years. He made his way to Germany and met Paula Schneider. They married in 1954, immigrated to the United States and built a home in Licking County, Ohio where they would celebrate their wedding anniversaries until Paula passed in September of 2017. Steve, as he was known, came to the United States for a better future. He was a tradesman and worked at many different jobs until he landed a job at Ross Laboratories in 1963. He worked his way up to maintenance crew leader and in 1971 won the highest award ever paid to an employee for suggesting a structural improvement to an automated case packing machine while he was repairing it. He was a model for our immigration system. Steve and Paula raised three sons, Juergen, Rick, and Bernie who along with his daughters-in-law and his grandchildren cared for him until his passing. His tenacity and strength, his passion and his disciple, his love for nature and communion with his land kept him going for ninety years. He had a warm heart and an infectious sense of humor. All will miss him. He is preceded in death by his wife Paula, his sister Maria (Mitzi) and parents, Martin and Barbara. He is survived by his brother Georg, his sons and his daughters-in-law Katherine Johnson Tossmann and Susan Clifton Tossmann. And his grandchildren Aubrie Tossmann, Jessica Deering and Tiffany Tossmann. Services will be at Kauber-Fraley Funeral Home in Pataskala, Ohio. Visitation from 4pm to 5pm, July 31, 2018 with service to follow. Graveside Services will be held August 1, 2018 at Jersey Cemetery.
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