Earthman Southwest Funeral Home
On Friday, January 6, 2023, Thomas Wilson went to be with our Lord in heaven at the age of 93. He passed peacefully at home with his wife in Sugar Land, Texas.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 wonderful years, Barbara Ann (Hampson) Wilson; his daughters, Virginia (Wilson) Mobley, Linda (Wilson) Stegeman and her husband James Stegeman; his 4 grandchildren Erin Mobley, Ryan Mobley, J. Andrew Stegeman, and Thomas Stegeman; one great grandchild Atticus Arnold; two sisters-in-law Marjorie Hampson and Phyllis (Hampson) Young, along with several dear nieces and nephews.
Tom was an amazing son, brother, husband, father, uncle, and grandfather. He was a great friend and mentor to many. He enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, and working, but first and foremost, he was a devout Christian that served the Lord in every aspect of his life.
Tom was born on August 11, 1929 in Newell, West Virginia to Thomas Wilson, Sr. and Grace (Mellon) Wilson. He was the youngest brother to John David Wilson and Kenneth Owen Wilson, and grew up in Newell, West Virginia, Calcutta, Ohio, and East Palestine, Ohio, and was captain of the track team for 2 years and lettered in track and football all 4 years of high school, graduating in 1949 from East Palestine High School in East Palestine, Ohio. He completed his freshman year at Ohio State University on a track and field scholarship and was then drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, where he served in Germany as a Supply Sergeant with the 28th division 112th Infantry Heavy Weapons Company from 1950 until receiving an honorable discharge in 1953.
Tom held a patent granted in 1980 for an alignment device, the Able "Natch," used in ceramic manufacturing and sold these devices to potteries in the United States through Able Company that he and his wife ran.
Tom was a seventh generation Master Ceramist, with forefathers from Ohio and Stoke-on-Trent, England. Tom sculpted the original shape (model), created a mold for mass production, and then trained employees on how to use it. He worked for Hall China Company and Kingwood China Company in Ohio from 1943 to 1949, Pat Eakin and Ludwig Schmidt Studios in Trenton, New Jersey from 1953 to 1955, Homer Laughlin China Company in West Virginia from 1955-1962, Gilmer Potteries from 1962-1975 in Gilmer, Texas, Haeger Potteries in Macomb, Illinois from 1975-1977, Universal Rundle in Hondo, Texas from 1977-1979, Gilmer Potteries again from 1979-1990, then Diversified Ceramics in Alvin, Texas. He was so grateful to have his last assignment where he was greatly appreciated and able to benefit the company with his artistic talents. He was proud that they were able to produce a lot of new and more complicated shapes because he was working there. Tom finally retired from full-time work at age 80 and remained friends with the management at Diversified Ceramics.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Tom's favorite radio station, KHCB Keeping Him Close By
www.KHCB.org, if you feel led to do so.
Tom's family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support, especially friends and neighbors who have cheerfully helped over the years.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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