Thomas Lloyd Farquhar, 77, of Belleville, IL, born March 13, 1947, in St. Louis, MO, died Monday, October 14, 2024, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood, CO. He was surrounded by his wife and three children.
Tom grew up in Belleville, attending Signal Hill School and Belleville Township High School, where he excelled in academics and sports. He graduated as valedictorian and played varsity basketball and tennis. From there, he went to Duke University, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played varsity tennis. In 1969, he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a member of Pi Tau Sigma, the honorary mechanical engineering fraternity, and Tau Beta Pi, an association for students of distinguished scholarship and exemplary character.
After college, Tom worked for McDonnell Douglas in their anti-ballistic missile program before receiving his MBA from Washington University in 1971. His life’s work was in the foundry business, initially overseeing operations for foundries in East St. Louis and West Memphis, AR, and finally selling castings throughout the Midwest as a Manufacturer’s Representative.
Outside of work, Tom was passionate about serving the community, where he spent most of his life. He served on the Board of Directors for the Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company and the Belleville Sports and Health Center, where he helped to raise funds to create an independent nonprofit organization. He was also a Belleville CEO program board member, mentoring high school students in developing their entrepreneurial skills. He was also a founding member and first chairman of the Signal Hill Education Foundation. Within his church, the First United Presbyterian Church of Belleville, Tom was a part of various committees over the years. He was a teacher of Bethel Bible studies, a member of the Elder Board, and in leadership roles for several capital campaigns. He also oversaw the construction of the most recent addition to the sanctuary space, Cornell Commons. He was honored to receive his church’s Man of the Year Award in 2011.
Tom always appreciated the different phases of his life and the roles within each, but his most cherished roles were being a husband, father, and grandfather. On August 21, 1971, Tom married his beloved wife, Dede. Tom and Dede had many mutual interests and passions, their favorites being a shared love of history, art, architecture, and traveling the world together. They have three children and eight grandchildren who affectionately referred to Tom as Nano-i. In his later years, when he wasn’t on the golf course or pickleball courts, you could find him cheering the loudest from the stands of his granddaughters’ basketball and soccer games, teaching his grandsons that the hand is quicker than the eye, and going over proper Moosie (his treasured dog) petting etiquette with the two babies of the family.
Tom was a wonderful friend to many, and he was appreciated for his intelligent mind, unquenchable curiosity, wicked humor, and loyal spirit. He was an enthusiastic partner in all sports, a generous community member, a hard and intelligent worker, and a responsible and loving son. He was a person with the highest ethics, a lover of animals, and someone who listened intently and responded with insight and empathy. He was a tender, fun grandparent, dedicated parent, and devoted husband.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Betty, nee Strothman, Farquhar.
Tom is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dede, nee Weidmann, Farquhar; his children, Tim (Laura) Farquhar of St. Louis, MO, Mack (Becky) Farquhar of York, PA, and Lissa (Stephen) Marcu of Denver, CO; eight grandchildren, Leah, Campbell, Hadley, and Rowan Farquhar of St. Louis, MO, Liam and Reid Farquhar of York, PA, and Willa and Foster Marcu of Denver, CO; his sister, Jane Yemm of O’Fallon, MO; two sisters-in-law, Nan (David) Anderson of Silverthorne, CO, and Anne Weidmann of Belleville, IL; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to First United Presbyterian Church of Belleville, Signal Hill Education Foundation, the Belleville CEO Program, and the Belleville Health and Sports Center. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may visit from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, November 8, 2024, at First United Presbyterian Church, Route 161 and Royal Heights Road, Belleville, IL.
Celebration of Life: Celebration of Life services will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, November 8, 2024, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL, with the Rev. Rob Dyer officiating. There will be a light reception after the service in the church commons.
