Lt. Col. Thomas A. Scheib was a study in contrasts.

Those who knew him say he was strong yet caring."He could knock down a concrete wall if he wanted," says Dorothy Baker, his soul mate.Yet beating inside his chest was a tender, loving heart with a soft spot, especially for God's wildlife creations."He loved animals more than he loved people," says Baker with a laugh.Brother Jim Scheib of Iowa agrees."He had an affinity for animals. He never met an animal he didn't want to make a pet. He actually had a wolf for a while."The Palmerton native and Vietnam veteran passed away June 20 at his home in Florida, leaving many lamenting the loss of a man of accomplishment.Military careerScheib was a graduate of Palmerton High School, Class of 1958, where he was a fixture on the gridiron."He played tackle at 175 pounds. He was a tough guy. He never backed down from a fight," says Jim Scheib.A man of purpose and direction, he went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics education at LaSalle College, Philadelphia.Baker remembers those early days fondly."Tom and I were college sweethearts," she says, explaining that their paths then diverted until reunited later in life.Turns out, Scheib made a career of the military. He spent 22½ years in the Marine Corps where, Baker says, his men were loyal and adored him.He served as a company commander in the area of the Demilitarized Zone in 1967-68 and was part of the lead company to break the siege of Khe Sanh on the ground during the famous battle of Jan. 21 to July 9, 1968.Scheib was wounded in combat three times and awarded multiple combat ribbons including two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.However, only two of Scheib's combat injuries were reported because he would have been sent home had details of additional wounds been divulged. He chose to keep quiet to stay with his Marine comrades, say friends."His leadership skills were extraordinary," says Baker.Farm lifeAfter retiring from the Marines, Scheib acquired three reindeer in Alaska and started his own herd, which grew to 80.He showcased those reindeer at festivals and parades throughout the Midwest. He also rented animals to the Bronx Zoo and Hershey Zoo. He and his reindeer appeared in television commercials, including a popular Christmas ad for Target stores.His reindeer also appeared in the remake of "The Miracle on 34th Street," along with Scheib's bull, Eli, performing in the courtroom defense of Santa Claus, the production's most famous scene.Also a licensed falconer and raptor rehabilitation expert, he traveled with his red-tailed hawk, Bess, visiting old Marine buddies.In fact, that's when he was his happiest, says Baker."He was most comfortable when he was with his menfolk. He was a man's man."In an email, friend Bob Green spoke of a strong sense of loyalty."As long as he could, he was meeting and was supporting troops from his Marine Company, and I suppose, others, traveling around the country from his Florida base. As he told me more than once: 'Those guys are my brothers. I would have given my life for them and they would have died for me ... and many did.'"Baker recalls Scheib's brusque side as well. He freely spoke his mind, she says. He was a strict conservative and held to those beliefs."He wasn't always gentle verbally with people," she says.Jim Scheib saw that side, too."He wasn't politically correct. He was rough around the edges and proud of it," he says.A rugged farmer, he tended to his reindeer compound in Finland, Minnesota, from 1983 to 1997, and again in Milltown, Wisconsin, from 1998 to 2010.One year later, he relocated to the Southeast, settling in Hernando Beach, Florida.IllnessGiven Scheib's triumphant life and success in battle, friends and family are finding it difficult to come to terms with his later health issues."He was diagnosed with a form of leukemia in 2005," says Baker. "He was declared 100 percent disabled."It was a setback, but Scheib was a fighter, even if the debilitating effects of Agent Orange from the days of Vietnam were well known.Like other victims of the chemical, Scheib didn't see it coming back in the "Nam" days. Nobody was the wiser."He told me they had not worried about Agent Orange being dropped on areas near them, even with winds blowing toward them," Green says."They were told it was not harmful to humans. They were in battlefields laced with it, in the heat of Vietnam with shirtsleeves rolled up high, for weeks, without the opportunity of even washing their arms. You can draw the conclusion of that situation."In 2014, nine years after diagnosis, Scheib began a rigorous regimen of chemotherapy treatment."The drug treatment ended in 2015 but by then it had compromised his immune system," says Baker.Sadly, he lost his life from side effects of an infection that couldn't be corralled.The strong fighter passed away with loved ones at his side."He gave it a hell of a run as the Marines will do," said a friend in an email.LegacyThose who knew him say Scheib fought the good fight and lived a full life.He was a leader and pillar of strength, even as he became another victim of the ongoing wrath of Agent Orange.According to records, about 2.8 million U.S. military personnel out of 7.4 million who served in Vietnam were exposed to the chemical.Those veterans, like Scheib, came home to fight a different kind of war, battling health issues and their own government's reluctance to admit that their illnesses came from lengthy exposure to government-sponsored toxicity.To date, at least 3,000 Vietnam War veterans have died from Agent Orange-related illnesses.Scheib is survived by a son, daughter, two adopted sons, a brother, nephews and two former wives.He was a hero, not only in his Palmerton hometown, but in the country he loved and served.He'll be cremated and buried at a rustic setting - the third fence post from the corner at a quiet, peaceful farm in Wisconsin.