| Graduation Year | Class of 1969 |
| Date of Passing | Jun 14, 2002 |
| About | Thomas Elwood Mears 1951 - 2002 Thomas Elwood Mears, 51, passed from this world Sunday, July 14, 2002, in London, England. Funeral: 1 p.m. Tuesday at Brown, Owens & Brumley's, Joe B. Brown Memorial Chapel. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials: The family requests donations be made to the American Heart Foundation and the Children's Hospital. Tom, the oldest child of Robert Elwood Mears and Harriet Josephine Mellenbruch Mears, was born June 9, 1951, in Medina, Ohio. Initially living on Robert's father's farm, the family later moved to Topeka, Kan., in 1955, and later to Lawrence, Kan., in 1957. Tom attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1973, and a master of business administration degree in 1975. In February 1976, he moved to Fort Worth, where he went to work at General Dynamics Fort Worth Division (now Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems), as an avionics systems engineer. He worked on numerous aircraft development programs, most notably the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Tom's job took him to several foreign countries, where he discovered latent interests in history and archeology. He also continued interests in reading, coin collecting and designing and building various electronics and computer projects. To all who knew Tom, he was a very kind and generous man. Survivors: He leaves to mourn a loving and dear wife of 18 years, Aynne Palms; father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mears; sisters, Janet Mears and Kathy Mears; and a loving brother, David Mears. Published in the Star-Telegram on 7/21/2002. |
