Thomas Sharpe Wilmeth
October 2, 1913 ~ January 5, 2015
On January 5, 2015, Thomas Sharpe Wilmeth, 101, of Daingerfield, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home. Visitation will be held at First United Methodist Church in Daingerfield, Sunday, January 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services will take place Monday, January 12 at 10 a.m. at the church. Interment will be at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Tom Wilmeth was born October 2, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois, to Leona Sharpe and Delbert Olen Wilmeth. In WWI, Toms father, Delbert, served in Europe for several years as a Captain in the Infantry, US Army. During this time, Toms grandmother lived with Tom and his mother to help care for him. Both women were math teachers and saw after Toms education before he began school. Tom was a quick learner and became very skilled in mathematics. As a result, he skipped three grades and graduated from Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, when he was fifteen. Tom was a life-long entrepreneur. His first business was selling hot-roasted peanuts for five cents a sack, door to door, in Indianapolis. This later evolved into selling strawberries (25 cents a quart!). When he was fifteen, his interest and skill in electronics allowed him to open up a business fixing radios, called Tom Wilmeth Radio Repair. Tom joined the Boy Scouts, and continued up through the ranks to Eagle Scout. Over the years, Tom has been a longtime supporter of the Boy Scouts, and credits them with some of the multi-faceted education he received from earning merit badges in such things as plumbing, electricity, survival skills, swimming, and others. Tom enrolled at Purdue University when he was 16 years old. As a senior, he was the business manager of the yearbook, the Debris, earning $1100 for his share of the profit. While at Purdue, he was a member of Alpha Chi Rho, Tau Beta Pi, and Eta Kappa Nu. He graduated magna cum laude at age 21 with a degree in electrical engineering, at a time when only 2% of Americas population attended college. He learned to sail on the Charles River in Boston while living there for a brief period. This would become an enjoyment for the rest of his life. He sailed with his son until age 99. Tom believed in exercise and played tennis, used Indian clubs and swam to stay fit. Toms philosophy of life is that the real issue is to develop the ability to train and teach oneself to learn. This way, one can teach oneself and continue learning and growing throughout life. He worked for several companies during the Depression and WWII, including IBM, Allis Chalmers, and A.O. Smith Company. In 1949, he and his brother, Harvey, started their own company, Scot Industries, Inc., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The first years were pretty rough; insolvency was always near. A less determined person would have given up. Success came slowly. However, Toms engineering and design skills allowed the company to produce better and less expensive products than his competitors. Over the last forty-five years, Tom and his son, Steven, have built the company into an international business with thirteen plants and a world-wide reputation for quality and technology leadership in the specialty tubing and precision steel bar business. A patent holder, Tom never ceased learning about and developing new designs, concepts, and ideas. He came to work every day until the end, excited about new challenges and opportunities. He never stopped thinking, and he never retired. Tom was a long-time philanthropist, contributing to education, the Mayo Clinic, and the Boy Scouts, among many others. He attributed his own success to the quality education he received from his mother and grandmother, the public schools of Indianapolis, and Purdue University. His philanthropy was intended to give similar opportunities to others. He was a selfless and generous person, never seeking personal publicity or attention. In 2014, he received an honorary Ph.D. from Purdue University in Engineering Information Literacy; the Distinguished Eagle Scout award; the Lions Club Man of the Year award; and was honored by the Texas state legislature with a Thomas Wilmeth Day designation. Surviving are his wife, Benette Laiken Wilmeth, Daingerfield, Texas; his sister, Rosemary Wilmeth Reeves, of Sequim, WA; his son, Steven Lytton Wilmeth and wife Victoria Berglund, Longview, Texas; daughter, Suzanne Wilmeth Anderson, Cheyenne, Wyoming. He is also survived by three granddaughters, Catherine Wilmeth and husband, Keith Taylor, of Somerset, England; Jennifer Wilmeth and husband, Ashley Keller, of Chicago, Illinois; and Melissa Wilmeth and husband, Ehsan Iraniparast, of Los Angeles, California; one grandson, Whittaker Anderson and wife Kate of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Tom is also survived by great-grandchildren; Chloe, Thomas, and EllaTaylor, of England; Olivia, Natalie, and Elliott Keller of Chicago; Margot and Theodore Iraniparast of Los Angeles. On his wifes side, he is survived by Thomas Laiken, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and his son, Adam; Amy Laiken and Max Kalkstein, of Easton, Connecticut, and their children, Ava and Eli. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Wilmeth, and his brother, Harvey Wilmeth. Donations may be made to the Boy Scouts of America, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and Purdue University Library Active Learning Center.
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Please accept our sympathy; our Creator provides comfort and tells us that He will fortify us and help us. Isa 41:10
My deepest sympathy goes out to your family at this time. He was a great man who lived a long and happy life.
Tom was a kind, gracious, and intelligent man. His love for the libraries and learning is the legacy he leaves for all of us. His smile and dry sense of humor will be missed.
Tom was a wonderful contributor to the Purdue Libraries in many ways and an inspiration to all members of the Dean's Advisory Council. His legacy will remain.
I would like to send my condolences to the Wilmette family.
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Please accept our deepest condolences on the passing of your Father. It was an honor and pleasure to have known him. Mr. Tom will be truly missed by all.
Condolences to all his family
I did not get to meet Mr. Wilmeth, but hear wonderful things. I am proud to be a Scot employee, and will send prayers the family's direction during this difficult time.
Steve and family,On behalf of my family and Round Ground Metals I extend my deepest sympathies to Benette, Toms family, you and your family.Unfortunately our body can hold our spirit for only so long in this life. The spirit of your father remains strong not only through his family but through the so many people he networked with in this life.He was truly one of the most remarkable people that I have ever met.My very best to you, Mary Lou, your fine family and all of Scot.
Steve my condolences to you and your family.
JanThelaner & Family has sent this Expressions of Sympathy card.
Steve, Mary Lou, and Wilmeth Family, Bre and I send our deepest condolences to you and your family. Although I have only had the pleasure to speak with Tom a handful of times, he always brought joy and inspiration to me. Tom made everyone around him a better person and he had great stories to share with others.
Please accept our condolences for your families loss. I did not personally meet your father but I am sure he will be greatly missed.
Ray Sims has sent this Expressions of Sympathy card.
Steve, Vicky and family:Please accept our sympathy. I always enjoy seeing a picture and reading of the legacy. You must be very proud. May he rest in peace and our prayers are with you. Lucy
Steve, Mary Lou, Benette and Wilmeth Family: We express our condolences. Tom was a true gentleman, generous, and a hard working man. He was an inspiring presence. Over the many years I knew him he was an exceptional person to work for. It was an honor and pleasure to know and work for such a man. He cared deeply for his friends and never hesitated to offer help. Tom will be greatly missed and fondly remembered. We send our prayers and will keep the Wilmeth family in our thoughts.
Hi Sue I want you to know that you are in my prayers. I lost my wife in Septermer of last year
Certainly sorry to hear of the passing of Tom, a gentleman and fellow Purdue graduate. It was an honor to know such a special person who did so much good in his life. Please accept my sincere condolences.
sorry for your loss.
My heartfelt condolences to the Wilmeth family. Mr. Tom will be much missed.
Craig Wastell has sent this Expressions of Sympathy card.
I feel that I am one of his success stories. Without him and his guidance who knows. I will miss him.
Tom was a great friend of my Father, Peter Weil, of whom passed in 1994 (Was President of Galland Henning Nopak, Inc. at that time). Tom was a great person with a wealth of knowledge. I really enjoyed knowing and working with him in past years. He will be truly missed by many. My sincere condolences to his family.
Steve, Mary Lou & The Wilmeth & Scot Industries Family, Please accept my & my Family's Heartfelt & Sincere Sympathies on the passing of your Father, my Mentor, Teacher & Trainer, Role Model & Friend. I will always remember & have lived my life based on the lessons I was taught by Mr Tom. I have & will always cherish each & every moment I have had the privilege to learn from & be with a truly outstanding man. If there is anything I can do to assist you, please allow me the opportunity to help. Tom & the entire Wilmeth Family have been & will remain in my daily thoughts & prayers & will miss our telephone discussions over the past years. I am thankful & Thank You for being allowed the opportunity to have experience time with a truly Great Man.