Thomas G. Blair, Jr.
August 28, 1936 – January 1, 2024
Thomas G. “Tom” Blair, Jr., 87, passed away at his home on January 1, 2024, surrounded by family. He was born on August 28, 1936, to Thomas Glenn, Sr. and Dorothy Blair and raised in Omaha. Tom graduated from Benson High School in 1954, where he was on the track team and a member of ROTC for 4 years. He attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he studied engineering. Tom joined the Army National Guard in 1956 and served on active duty at Fort Huachuca in Arizona for 6 months in 1957. He returned in December of that year and was the first student to graduate from UNO with an Industrial Engineering degree in May, 1958. Tom married Zoy in September 1959 and they enjoyed 64 loving years together. In August 1960, he enlisted in the Army National Guard Reserve where he attended Officer’s Candidate School and received his commission of 2nd Lieutenant, eventually attaining the rank of Captain. Following graduation, his first professional job was with the Campbell Soup Company as an Industrial Engineer. In August 1960, Campbell’s transferred Tom to Salisbury, MD, but returned to Omaha in June 1961. Shortly thereafter, he took a job at Western Electric where he worked for 30 years. In 1964, he earned his master’s degree in Industrial Psychology, while raising 4 kids and serving in the Army Reserves. He retired from the military shortly thereafter. In 1982, he received a patent from the US Government for a wiring connection component he developed for Western Electric.
Tom and Zoy built a home in Maple Village in 1966 where they lived for 46 years. He was active for many years with the Boy Scouts and Y-Guides & Princesses. He was President of Maple Village Pool for 12 years and a volunteer with the Omaha Police Department Handicap Patrol for 15 years. Ronald McDonald House was important to Tom and he served for several years on their Board of Directors. He was a faithful member of Maplewood United Methodist Church for 57 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles. He retired from AT&T (Western Electric) in 1994 to devote his life to his family. It was in 1992 that Tom and Zoy built a lake house on Middle Island in South Bend, NE, where many wonderful memories were made. They loved to travel and attend their grandchildren’s events. The love of his life was his wife and family!
He is survived by his wife, Zoy, of 64 years; and their three daughters: Deb & Mark Schorr (Lincoln), Sherrie & Bernie Dudzinski, and Kristie & Chad Locke (Malcolm); 11 grandchildren: Allison (Jake) Zach, Melissa Schorr (fiancé Hayden Schuerman), Jordan (Britt) Dudzinski, Logan (Samantha) Dudzinski, Colin (Kelsey) Dudzinski, Kayla (Jon) Grevengoed, Emily (Cole) Bodfield, Thomas (Gina) Blair IV, Elaina (Adam) Spinola, Julia Blair and Matthew Blair; 10 great-grandchildren: Landon Zach, Elle, Blair & Ben Dudzinski, Duke, Finn & Shay Dudzinski, Dean Dudzinski, Thomas G. Blair V, and Corrine Spinola; brother, Bob (Barb) Blair; sister Susan (Jay) Witty; brother-in-law, Bill Brown; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Tom was preceded in death by his son, Thomas G. Blair III; granddaughter, Katie Locke; sister, Barbara Brown; nephew, Andy Blair; and his parents.
VISITATION: Thursday, January 4, 2023, from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. at Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, 7805 West Center Rd.
SERVICE: Friday, January 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Maplewood United Methodist Church, 3535 Maplewood Blvd.
Memorials are suggested to Ronald McDonald House of Omaha and Maplewood United Methodist Church.
To view a live broadcast of the Service, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “LiveCast” button at the top of the home page.
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