Sad to report the p***ing of the founder & past president of the '54 Ford Club of America. I know some of you are members of the club and website. God Speed Tom.HRP
Tom was laid to rest today. HRP 1944 - 2016 Obituary Condolences Tom Hoskins Obituary Tom Hoskins, 71, retired president of the Dunlap Company, author and pundit, died early Saturday, March 26, 2016, after a long battle with and complications from multiple myeloma. Tom died at the end of Good Friday which is apropos if you knew him. Service: His service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 1, at First United Methodist Church, 313 N. Center St., Arlington. Tom was born in the back room of his family's farmhouse outside Post on May 27, 1944, to Billie and Jack Hoskins. The third of six children, he was raised on a dry-land cotton farm where he learned the lifelong lessons of hard work and long hours through hoeing and picking cotton, milking cows and driving tractors. Tom told fond stories of his upbringing and how his West Texas heritage shaped him into the man and businessman he became. The values of loyalty, honesty and hard work were the bedrock of his life. Tom attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse in New Moore and high school in O'Donnell in where he was valedictorian of his graduating cl*** of 1962. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1966 with a BBA. In 1963, Tom married his high school sweetheart, Janice Stewart Clayton, and they attended and graduated from Texas Tech together. They were happily married for 52 years and raised two daughters whom they taught to be kind, forgive easily, and place others before themselves. While attending college, Tom worked for Dunlap's Department Store in Lubbock. He joined the Dunlap Company's management after college graduation, managing stores in Lubbock, Pampa, and Midland before joining Dunlap's executive office in Fort Worth in 1977. Tom was named president of the Dunlap Company in 1993, continuing in this position until 2001. Upon his retirement, the Dunlap Company had grown to include 60 department stores in 11 states. In his retirement, Tom oversaw real estate, banking and farm interests. He also renovated and maintained his family farm and began to write about his heritage and life in West Texas. He wrote three books, one of which was ***led "Hoskilonians," a collection of "points of life" he had collected over a lifetime which he highlighted with stories from his own life. These points of light were often humorous and many times convicting or thought-provoking. Two favorite points of light were "Character is who you are when no one is looking" and "A man never regrets a decision made in kindness." Tom's hobbies included the '54 Ford Club of America which he founded, and fishing, especially at Possum Kingdom Lake. He had a great love for nature and included his five beloved grandchildren in his adventures in the great outdoors. Tom was a devout member of the First Methodist Church of Arlington and its Lamplighters Sunday School Cl*** where he served as cl*** president twice as well as heading finance, building, PPR, and official boards for numerous years. His church was the center of his life. Tom also served on various boards in Tarrant County over many years including United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Texas Retailers ***ociation, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Harris Methodist Hospital, and served as president of Arlington's Rotary Club. We will miss this unique man who was in many ways larger than life. He lived to help people overlooked by others and felt it his calling to make everyone in his life feel special and loved. He was a loving, trustworthy and protective husband, father and friend to those God entrusted him with. At the end of his book, "Hoskilonians," Tom wrote that a man in his sixties "regrets some things but only wishes he had more time to show more comp***ion, love, and care to others." Tom wished he had listened more and talked less. He wished he had told more people he loved them. He didn't really need to worry on that account but it is a lesson in life worth remembering for all of us. Tom was preceded in death by an infant son, Thomas Brian; and parents, Billie and Jack Hoskins and Wayne and Jessie Clayton. Survivors: His wife, Janice; beloved daughters, Laurie Carol Nipp of Raleigh, N.C., Julia Elizabeth Schlitt of Austin; son-in-law, Carriel E. Nipp; five wonderful grandchildren, Carriel Taylor, Jessica Katherine and Grace Elizabeth Nipp of Raleigh, and John Jackson and Adele Catherine Schlitt of Austin; brothers, Jack, Joe and Chuck Hoskins; sisters, Margaret McCullough and Judy Freeman; many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins; and a mul***ude of friends.
Attended the funeral today. Beautiful service...lots of fond memories. Don't know the exact count, but the big Arlington UMC church was filled....several hundred.
Were you able to have a '54 Ford present ? I saw a post regarding that. R.I.P. Tom, May God bless all your family and friends at this time.
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