Thomas L. Sawyer, 80, of Oakwood, died Friday, June 22, 2018 in Waco, Texas. Services were held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Capps Memorial Chapel with Chaplain Andrew Weitner officiating. Masonic Rites were performed by Fairfield Lodge #103 A.F. & A.M. Graveside services with military honors were held 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at Dallas – Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
Thomas (Tom) was born October 13th, 1937 in Sherman Texas to parents Frederick and Edna Sawyer. He has one older sister, Ann. On Tom’s first day of 1st grade in Sherman, Texas, he was sent home because the teacher thought he was being ‘smart’ by reporting to school as ‘Tom Sawyer.’ Hence, the start of Tom’s life-long sense of humor.
He was only 17 when he enlisted in the Army National Guard of Texas from 1954-55. He then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955-1958 as Airman 2nd Class. He was stationed in Germany during the Allied Occupation after WWII and the beginning of The Cold War.
Once home from the military, Tom began his career with GTE as a lineman. He married his first wife, Linda Kimbell, and had one daughter, Cynthia Ann Sawyer.
As DFW Supervisor with GTE he oversaw the installation of telecommunications at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport. During this time, he divorced and later married Sandra Pruett Hood who has one son, Christopher Hood.
After his distinguished career of over 25 years with GTE, Tom retired then decided he needed to stay busy. He spent nearly fifteen years working at Sears Roebuck remodeling area stores from which he retired also.
Settling into the home they built in Fairfield, Texas, Tom and Sandra joined the First Baptist Church and became members of various organizations and clubs. Tom became a volunteer fireman with the Butler Fire Department and a member of the Fairfield Lodge #103 A.F. & A.M.
Tom enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, leather work and woodworking. In fact, Tom was so dedicated to wood craftsmanship that he created custom woodworking pieces for Larry Meadows Display Cases for about ten years. He is preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Carsen Linton Rodgers McDaniel.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 40 years as of this July, Sandra Sawyer; daughter, Cynthia McDaniel and husband Todd of San Antonio, Texas; step-son
Chris Hood and wife Ginger of Ft. Worth, Texas; granddaughter Jessica Hood Stewart and husband Patrick of Saginaw, Texas; great-grandchildren Madison, Grayson, and Allison Stewart; sister Ann Christopherson of Huntsville, Alabama; sister-in-law Claudia Atchison and husband Fred of Cleveland, Texas; sister-in-law Mary Hinson of Fairfield, Texas. He was blessed with five nephews: Eric Christopherson, Keith Christopherson, Carl Christopherson, Mark Atchison, Andrew Hinson; and one niece, Cindy Kinkeade.
‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’~Matthew 25:23
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