Thomas Gordon Smith
Thomas Gordon Smith of Lansing, Michigan died on Friday, April 26, 2019, at the age of 91 surrounded by family. Tom was born in Buffalo, New York in 1927, the only child of Silas Gordon Smith of California Twp, Michigan and Hazel Elizabeth Gordon of Battle Creek.
Tom started his studies at Albion College, where he was a member of the TKE fraternity, and completed his degrees in Biology and English at Wayne State University. He served in the Army in Korea as a cartographer. Tom returned from the war to work for Oldsmobile for the next 38 years, retiring from his last position as Director of Sales Analysis & Distribution. He always said that he enjoyed the ride. Tom had a gift for friendship and remained close to his many friends from Oldsmobile until the very end.
Tom enjoyed travel, reading thrillers, wood carving, telling wonderful stories from his life, and making everyone laugh with his long complicated jokes. He was an avid golfer for most of his life and kept up with his Friends of the Fairway golfing buddies.
Tom was predeceased by his beloved wife Nancy in 2008. They married in 1951 and made friends around the country as they moved many times during the first 20 years of their marriage. They settled permanently in Lansing in 1974. He was a devoted caregiver at the end of her life.
Tom’s favorite charities: Delta Township District Library, Capital Area Humane Society, and the Salvation Army, who offered him coffee and doughnuts when he stepped off the train after returning from Korea.
Tom is survived by his niece Anne Swan (Dennis), nephew Norman Cox (Anne), cousin Janet Torrey (Joe), Nancy’s cousin Beth Whitlock, great niece and nephew Ian and Keely Cox, and sister-in-law Harriett Cox.
A private memorial luncheon is planned for later in May.
3 Messages to “Thomas Gordon Smith”
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Fran Tyndale
May 3, 2019 at 9:48 pmTom was a special guy. He had great stories, that bored Nancy to death. He treated her with much respect and tenderness when she was ill. When he took up baking after her death I and my grandson were on his route to receive his gifts of cookies and brownies usually on his way to the library. He brought books for us( Nancy’s guilt group) and thread snips for all of us once.
Ruby Post
May 3, 2019 at 10:22 pmYes, Tom was a very special person. Always doing nice things for others. He stopped to see Gene and I just before we moved to IA in Oct. and sadly I never got a chance to talk to him again. We were on his list of cookie deliveries and he was so proud to be able to share those also. As well as the recipes! Nancy was a fellow quilter and he shared some of her fabric with some of us. He will always be remembered for his generosity and friendliness.
Stephanie Rawson
June 13, 2019 at 8:11 amI was gone when Tom passed away and did not know he died till I went to look up his phone number online and found his obituary instead today. A well written obituary that summed up Tom.
Tom was devoted to Nancy as my husband and I witnessed. I will miss you Tom. You understood my personal grief at the loss of my husband and also brought me cookies to cheer me up. I will miss our lunches to catch up and you wanting to hear about my recent travels. In fact I was calling today to say I would be stopping over to get you for lunch..
Tom loved his nieces and nephews and spoke of them as if they were his own children.. You were lucky to have him. I would love to share stories with them about their beloved uncle.
You were a special man Tom and I will miss you.