Tino A. French

Tino Antone French, 51, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, passed away Saturday, June 17, 2023, in Poland doing what he loved, trucking and helping the less fortunate. He volunteered his services with the humanitarian aid groups as a truck driver delivering supplies and equipment to Ukraine. In celebration of his life, at 4:00 PM -5:00 PM on Day/Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023; Viewing and Visitation with family at Mohr & Becker-Hunter Funeral Home, 1431 West 29th Street, South Sioux City, Nebraska; following at 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Wake Services by Father Mark Beran, Cedar Blessings by Brother Rodney Morris, and Rosary Services by Patty Roberts. Coffee, tea and snacks after Wake Services at the funeral home. 10:00 AM Funeral Mass on Day/Date: Thursday, July 13, 2023 at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Winnebago, Nebraska; then, to Hillcrest Cemetery, Decatur, NE; Prayer by Rodney Morris; and, Gravesite Services by Father Mark Beran. (Lunch after Gravesite Service in Decatur - place will be announced later)

Tino, son of Reverend Don and Gloria “Jeannie” (Kemp) French, was born on February 16, 1972. He attended Walthill schools. He is a graduate with the Class of 1990 from Walthill High School. Prior to graduating Tino enlisted in the United States Air Force by his recruiting cousin, Joe French. He served from August 1990 through May 1994.

After serving time in the Air Force, Tino worked at IBP as a planner and Sioux City Foundry as a delivery driver. It was at this time that he found the love of being on the road. He attended WIT to earn his certification to become a truck driver.   

Tino and his fur baby, Taz worked together traveling the country as an over-the-road truck driver for many years with the companies: Marx, Sabre, Barto and Sterling. He was currently working overseas in Poland driving truck doing humanitarian work in Ukraine.

Tino had a passion for music of all genres, which led him to start his own part-time DJ & Karaoke business for wedding receptions, graduations, reunions, and city celebrations. For those he loved, he made it a point to share his music library by creating mixers on DVDs for them. In his spare time, he would tinker on his computer with his library of music, combining two songs together to create a new version. 

Tino’s pride and joy was his son, Christian.  At an early age, he introduced his son to Nebraska Husker football, music, and live concerts. They were two peas in a pod attending Husker games at Memorial Field and rock concerts. They traveled the United States and vacationed at major theme/amusement parks for the thrill of the rides. Later in life, he met his long-life partner, Crystal and the two of them and their children enjoyed family time on the weekends. His love for family time included: supporting the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but mostly Husker football; chilling with a tall-boy, Bud Lite watching all sports on the tube, being a food connoisseur trying new restaurants and different foods, going to movies eating popcorn with peanut M&Ms, and yearly summer vacation trips with his family. Tino and his love, Crystal traveled together out of state attending the away Husker games and had yearly winter trips to Las Vegas or Nashville.

Tino’s other hobbies included: riding his motorcycle, which he started at a very early age, dirt biking with his childhood buddies all over the county, exhibition boxing as a toddler then boxing for Engel Boxing Club, as a golden glove boxer, and taekwondo accomplishing form technique to earn his red belt equivalent to a black belt. 

Tino is survived by his son, Christian French of Stanton, NE; his fur baby, Taz; daughter, Haley (Lawrence) Smiley of South Sioux City, NE, grandchildren, Ayden, Aniyah and Aundray of South Sioux City; mother, Jeannie French of South Sioux City, NE; life-long partner, Crystal Ross of Walthill, NE; her daughter, Kassie and her sons, Adrian and Jasper; sister, Ursula (Chris Uhl) Maslonka of South Sioux City, NE; nephews, StanLee, Cody (Bailli Meins) & Jacob Maslonka; niece, Lilly Uhl; and great-nephew, Luke.

He was preceded in death by his father, Reverend Don L. French; grandmother, Edna Kemp-Church; aunties, Sylvia Church and Alice Freemont; great-grandparents, Ed and Virginia Kemp; grandparents, Clifford “Tuffy” and Myrtle French; and numerous other relatives.