Tommy R Carver

Tommy R Carver
July 15, 1945 - December 9, 2022

Tommy R. Carver, 77, died Friday, December 9, 2022 in Seymour, Texas. Memorial Services will be held on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 11:00 am at the Seymour Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. He is survived by his wife Donna; brother Earl; son Jonathan and his wife Misty; daughter Sarah Blott and her husband Robert; Lance Boyd, who adopted Tom and Donna as his parents; and cousins Doug and Roy Cheney. He also leaves behind grandchildren Kylie, Miranda, and Zachary Carver; Chloe and Jocilynn Blott; and Brooklyn Boyd.

Tom was in the first graduating class of S. H. Rider High School and attended Midwestern University from August 1963 until he became bored with classwork and was invited to leave Midwestern in November 1967. That led to 3 years as a Navy Corpsman, a year of which was spent as a company corpsman in 1st Marine Division in Vietnam. He walked away with the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, a Chinese sword, and some lifelong habits. He was discharged from the Navy in December 1970, returned to Midwestern in January 1971, and graduated with his brother in May 1972.

He married his sweetheart in 1972 and entered a Master's program in the English Department at Texas Tech. He went back in the Navy in 1974 and completed his degree on active duty. He returned to Midwestern several years after retirement from the Navy in 1992 and earned a Master's degree in history. While at Midwestern, he worked n Moffet Library's rare book room, helped set up some of the original displays, and helped students find books they needed for research projects.

During his time in the Navy, Tom lived in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Panama and on all three U. S. Coasts. He saw the beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the Great American Desert, saw the blood red sunsets of the South Pacific, experienced the sights and smells of boat communities on the rivers of Asia, saw beautifully colored fish swimming the crystal-clear lagoons of Colombia, enjoyed rodeos put on by American soldiers in the back country of Panama, saw the intricate designs on the walls and gates of the locks of the Panama Canal and enjoyed the peace of Buddhist temples in East and Southeast Asia. He spoke seven languages. Over the years, he lessened some habits carried from Vietnam and dropped others by talking with other vets. Some habits never left him. He lived by a saying a Russian taught him: God is great, beer is good, life is fun.

Tom's maternal grandmother steeped him in family history from the immigration from Ireland in 1815 to 1970. He eventually inherited a camelback trunk containing family documents, photographs, and books from 1815 to 1945. He learned from a paternal aunt his father's family history since immigrating from Germany in 1857. Tom was proud part of his family had immigrated to Texas when it was a republic and fought in the Texas Calvary in the Southern War of Independence.

In 2010, three fraternity brothers conned him into becoming alumni advisor for Sigma Nu, his fraternity, at Midwestern. He eventually forgave them because he enjoyed working with young minds. During is 6 1/2 years as advisor, Tom encouraged his younger Brothers to leave their comfort zones and try new ideas. He enjoyed their successes and knew the quiet joy of hearing "I didn't know I could do that".

As age and the effects of old injuries crept up on him, a stamp collection and a reading habit assumed more importance in life. Movies, the Englis Premier League, and UEFA soccer games also assumed more importance. Tom sometimes said he knew life and its adventures were a gift of God, but he had no idea those adventures would involve sounding like a breakfast cereal when he got up from bed or a chair in old age. His mother-n-law was correct: Old age ain't for sissies.

His second greatest joy in life was knowing his children eventually listened to guidance from their parents, avoided the worst pitfalls of youth, and grew up enjoying a good book. He was pleased they passed those habits to their children. Lance, for the most part, traded books for video games. He became so adept he was asked to join a national gaming team.

Tom's greatest joy was having the best wife on earth.