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Established 1948    Thomas William Wasden, better known by "Tom" to many and "Billy" by a few; was born April 9, 1944 in Montgomery, Alabama. He died on October 4, 2022 in Denison, Texas. In between those 2 bookends of life, Tom lived his 78 years fully. Like most, he knew success and failure, joys and grief; laughter and tears. Tom was a dutiful son, a devoted husband, a dedicated father, and a doting grandfather. Tom moved to Denison with his mom and siblings when he was 9. After graduating Denison High School, Tom met the love of his life, Ruby Ruth Henderson, while riding down Denison's Main Street, a well-known meeting place for teenagers at the time. They were married in March 1966 and began a 56-year journey together. That quest included 16 duty points all over the country during his military career until finally returning to Denison. Along their journey, they had 2 sons: Tim and Thomas, Jr., known as "TJ"). Tom was a good father to his sons. He, with Mom, taught them the importance of family, the love of country, and the values of honesty and integrity. He was also there for late-night toy assembly on many a Christmas Eve, coaching their "bad news" Bears baseball team, and driving lessons - just to name a few. When his granddaughter, Autumn, and grandson, "AJ" each came into the picture, Tom was grateful to be Grandpa and gave them lots of love Tom was fiercely patriotic to our country - serving 20 years in the United States Marine Corps, including a tour in Vietnam and Japan. He retired honorably in 1984 as a Master Sergeant. In his study hangs a quote by Ronald Reagan, "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in this world. Marines don't have that problem." His study also has a thick folder full of certificates and accomplishments, letters of appreciation and commendation, and recognition for his outstanding and dedicated service. Semper Fidelis was ever true in him. Once retired from the military, he used the training and education gleaned from the Marines to launch a career at Texas Instruments that lasted another 20 years. Then, after retiring again, he was able to spend more time on his woodworking hobby. Tom could build anything and excelled at details using "old school" carpentry, building bookshelves, head and foot boards, chests, nightstands, and countless other pieces. One year he and Tim built a life-size playhouse for Autumn. His ingenious spirit rarely met an effort he could not accomplish. He is survived by his loving wife, Ruby Ruth, of Denison; his son, TJ and son-in-law, Joshua of Austin; his son Timothy and daughter-in-law, Delinda, of Denison; and his grandchildren, Autumn and AJ. He is also survived by both of his siblings and their spouses: sister, Francis and husband, Arnold, of Doyle, California; brother, James and wife, Amanda, of Altamonte Springs, Florida. Graveside services with Marine Honors were held Tuesday afternoon, at Cedarlawn Memorial Park, Sherman, Texas.   Cedarlawn Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |