Tom Spaulding passed away at the age of 92 on April 26, 2018. He was a car guy all his life, repairing, tinkering, restoring, and driving many cars, especially older Fords. Tom was also a man who performed his duty with integrity.
He was born in Arkansas in 1925, but also lived through the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in Altus, Oklahoma during the 1930's. His parents A. O. and Eunice (Grober) Spaulding returned to Arkansas before the outbreak of World War II. Tom attended high school in Fayetteville, where he met his future wife, Ethel Mae Riggs.
After high school graduation in 1944, Tom served as a Navy sonar operator in the South Pacific. His job was to listen for Japanese submarines trying to sneak into the American ship harbor at Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. He never heard a Japanese sub, just American ships and tropical fish. The island he lived on for a year and a half with other Navy guys was about the length of two football fields, and about half that wide. He later served on a mine sweeper and was flown back to Pearl Harbor on a small unheated sea plane. After his war time experiences, he never wanted to travel again.
Tom returned to Fayetteville, and he and Ethel were married on September 8, 1946. They both attended the University of Arkansas, but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 1950's. Tom worked in the plumbing department at the 21st and Yale Sears. He and Ethel raised two children, Janet and Randy. Tom's family and two other neighboring families formed close bonds. All three families spent the summer weekends water skiing at Ft. Gibson lake.
Tom's other hobby--fixing his daily driver cars--expanded to restoring and driving antique Fords. He joined the Tulsa Model A Ford Club, and then became a member of Tulsa's Early Ford V-8 Club. He also belonged to the Horseless Carriage Club. He and Ethel made many friends through these organizations.
In 1983 his beloved wife Ethel developed early onset Alzheimer's and Tom cared for her at home until her death in 2001. Perhaps Tom's greatest achievement was giving her such loving care. Meanwhile both children's employers had transferred them out of state. His children eventually returned to Tulsa, and bought houses near Tom. They also joined the Early V-8 Ford Club and shared many old Ford car related outings and activities.
Tom is survived by the 1941 Ford V-8 Super Deluxe Ford Coupe and the 1931 Ford Model A Roadster. He is also survived by his daughter Janet and her companion Randell Gregory; his son Randy, Randy's wife Christine, and their son Donovan. The family greatly appreciates the care provided this last year by St. John's Hospice and the lovely new Porta Caeli House (Gate to Heaven) a hospice facility operated by the Catholic Church.