Thomas “Tom” Nack, Sr. passed just shy of 91 years.
Tom grew up in Missouri and Tennessee. He joined ROTC in high school, which was the catalyst for his military career. Tom graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics in 1954 and was then commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. Tom met his wife, Miriam, at the University of Tennessee and they wed in 1956. They spent the next 24 years moving 19 times to various military assignments with their growing family, which eventually included four children. He was stationed both in the United States and abroad, with overseas assignments that included north Canada, Vietnam, Germany, and Bogota, Columbia. While serving in the Army, Tom earned a B.S. of Civil Engineering from Missouri School of Mines in 1962 and was a graduate of the National War College in Washington DC in 1976. He achieved the rank of Colonel, and in the 80s retired from the Army Corp of Engineers.
Tom and Miriam moved to the Puget Sound area where Tom became CEO and president of Reid Middleton, an engineering consulting firm for twelve years. For the past 40 years Tom and Miriam lived on Whidbey Island where Tom was a board member of Good Cheer and South Whidbey Historical Society. He was also an active member of Rotary and Trinity Lutheran Church. Tom spent over 30 years on his farm overlooking Lone Lake pursuing his love of farming including raising sheep and cows and bringing in the hay. He lived a full life.
Tom is survived by his wife of 67 years, Miriam; their children Nissa Nack (Bob Flock), Tamara Nack (Derek White), Tom Nack, JR (Theresa Tiede) and Pattie Barclay (Don Barclay) and their four grandchildren. Tom is also survived by his beloved brother, Bob Nack (Dorli Nack).
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 21 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 18341 State Route 525, P.O. Box 97, Freeland, WA 98249.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to Good Cheer, South Whidbey Historical Society, or Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund.
