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Thomas Toliver Goldsmith Jr.

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Cornell University Furman University

Thomas Goldsmith Obituary

Thomas Toliver
Goldsmith Jr
January 9, 1910 – March 5, 2009

Thomas was born in Greenville, South Carolina and passed on at home in Lacey.
He was married to Helen Wilcox Goldsmith for 70 years. They have three children: Judson Wilcox Goldsmith, California, Thomas T. Goldsmith, III, Massachusetts, Virginia G. Beekmann, Olympia; six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Thomas earned his BA at Furman University 1931, and his PhD at Cornell University 1936. He was Director of Research at Allen B. DuMont Laboratories 1936 - 1966, Professor of Physics at Furman University, 1966 - 1975, and on the Metromedia Board of Directors 1942 - 1986. He was a Fellow of IEEE, SMPTE, and Radio Club of America. He started WTTG TV Station in Washington, D.C. in 1945.
Thomas was known for his radiant personality and pioneering work in television development.
In his spirit of fun and technology, search his name on-line to find his Wikipedia site.
Memorial donations can be made to Providence Sound Home Care and Hospice or United Churches of Olympia
Memorial Service Sunday, March 15, 2009, at the United Churches of Olympia 1:30 p.m.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Olympian on Mar. 11, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Goldsmith

18 Entries

Meg Turk

March 5, 2025

I will ALWAYS remember this Beautiful Man! With LOVE...

Bill Taebel

September 21, 2009

I grew up around Tom Goldsmith and his family in Montclair. I last visited with him in WA state. He was a wonderful man and good friend of my parents.
Bill Taebel

David Gilbreth

March 20, 2009

My heartfelt condolences to your family and a warm hello to Tommy. What wonderful neighbors.

And what a GREAT rope-swing that was! :-)

Jens Karlsson

March 20, 2009

My grandfather was a great man in many ways.

Marie Schmidt

March 16, 2009

The Goldsmith's were neighbors of ours in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. Dr. Goldsmith interviewed my husband Fred for a job opening in the new Dumont facility in Passaic, N.J. In June 1941.My husband Fred worked at Dumon for ten years, before accepting a new offer in Los Angeles. The Goldsmiths were a lovely suburban family and good neighbors. My husband respected Tom's brilliance.

Jerry Wyatt

March 16, 2009

Dr. Goldsmith was my physics professor at Furman back in the late sixties. He was also the faculty advisor and a brother of our Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity chapter. He was always a delightful man to be around, always helping others and being a friend to those who needed his help and friendship. His remarkable accomplishments as a scientist and innovator have been heralded by the media, but I would like to offer my humble contribution as a former student and friend of Dr. Goldsmith's. He will always be remembered for the gentleman, humanitarian, mentor, and friend that he was to so many of us.

Jerry Wyatt, Furman Class of 1970

Ron Shelton

March 16, 2009

Best to family of Tom.
What a blessing he was to multitudes --especially his friends and folks of South Carolina.
Ron Shelton, SC State Museum

Linda Mann

March 15, 2009

I was only one year old when I moved away from Montclair, so have no personal memories of our father's work at DuMont. However, Tom Goldsmith was part of family lore of our father's involvement in the early development of the amazing technology of television. I wish I knew more of their work together.

My condolences to the family.

Al & Betty Rettenmier

March 15, 2009

Thanks to a great and happy man,
Tom Goldsmith, and his always hospitable welcoming family at Panorama. He was positive, intelligent, understanding and a perpetual giver. We feel lucky to have been neighbors and among his wealth of friends.

Margaret (Mann) Weirich

March 15, 2009

My condolences to the family. What a surprise to learn of the passing of my father's (E. Ray Mann) good friend and emplyer during my childhood days in Montclair. My sister Barbara in Ohio e-mailed me the announcement from the NY Times today; my sister Linda in TN, immediately picked up on this and e-mailed me this newspaper announcement minutes ago. It brings back many memories and clarifies some family history. It is a marvel of the times that I can send you my note of support just hours before the funeral service! I agree with Gail Worthington's post that these old pioneers, her grandfather and my father, would marvel at this on-line guest book and must be greatly pleased at all the re-connections taking place now. My best wishes to you all.

Barbara Mann

March 15, 2009

I read of Dr. Goldsmith's death in today's New York Times and was reminded that he and my father, E. Ray Mann, were friends and colleagues at Allen B. DuMont. My condolences to his family.

Gail Goldsmith Worthington

March 15, 2009

My grandfather would have loved the idea of this online guest book and the way that modern communications technology is allowing all of us to connect in his memory.

As a scientist and innovator, every day of his life was filled with joyful curiosity about the world, and he reveled in the continuing innovations that make it possible to communicate and broadcast our ideas as well as share in our common joys of the human experience.

Thank you everyone for your messages and your friendship.

Kenneth deGruchy

March 15, 2009

To the Goldmsmith Family: I share in your loss and I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to have met with Dr. Goldsmith back in the 1970s when he visited, my place of employment, WNEW TV in NYC. We had a chance to talk about the history of the battle for a compatible color system for television back in the early 1950's. His insights and reccollections as one of the prime movers in this area captivated me. How true it is that he will be sorely missed.

March 13, 2009

We are so sorry to hear of the passing of Thomas,your family is in our prayers at this time.May god bless you and keep Thomas in his arms,Steve & Debbie Goldsmith

Richard Emery

March 12, 2009

Sorry -- the whole URL for the item on WTTG's website didn't carry over into the item I just posted. Please add this to the URL that ends now with "031209":

"_pioneer_and_wttg_tv_founder_dies"

In other words, the URL after that last backslash should read this way:

"031209_pioneer_and_wttg_tv_founder_dies"

Can't always figure out why these glitches happen -- if you have trouble finding the article, just search WTTG's website for "Goldsmith" and you'll find the full article.

Richard Emery

March 12, 2009

Please excuse a 2nd entry from me -- I just wanted the family and friends to know that WTTG, the station Dr. Goldsmith founded, has posted an item on their website about his passing. I'd alerted a Pittsburgh TV/radio blog about his death, and WTTG picked up this info from that blog.
Please see this:
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/about_us/station_history/031209_pioneer_and_wttg_tv_founder_dies

Richard Emery

March 11, 2009

Over the years, I've watched several of Dr. Goldsmith's recorded interviews reminiscing about the early days of TV, when (among many accomplishments) he helped found the DuMont Network. He always seemed like such a happy and intelligent man, someone I'd loved to have known. My deepest condolences to his family, and my thanks to him in the name of all the people who don't know his role in the founding of network TV broadcasting in this country!

Meggin Turk

March 11, 2009

To the family of Mr G.
I truly loved his magnetic personality and warmth!. What a fun and beautiful man he was. He will be missed terribly. But as you say, we will live his legacy by constantly smiling and catching a glimpse of the great Mt Rainier at every chance! God bless you all and may he rest in peace.

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