Thomas William Landers Jr.

LONGVIEW — Tom was born Decem­ber 5, 1921, in Longview, Texas, and lived here all of his life except for time in college and service in the U.S. Air Force during World War II.
When he was 10 years old, the great East Texas oil boom hit, and Tom sold newspapers after school between the post office and the old Hilton Hotel to 200 or 300 men who were scouts, land men, drilling contractors, etc. Also, at the age of 10, he sacked peanuts on Saturdays for Hubert Gregg, a well-known blind man of Longview.
At the age of 14, Tom lost his father to a heart attack, and he had to help his mother by doing odd jobs around the city. He worked at Dark's grocery store, the Rembert Theater, laid gas lines for Southern Gas Co. and worked at the old city swimming pool.
Tom graduated from Long­view High School in 1939, where he played the drums in the band. At that time he went to Schreiner Institute in Kerrville. He was drum major for the band at Schreiner.
Before his education was completed, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, thinking he would get in six months or a year's service, then he would be free to return to college. However, this did not happen. Along came World War II, and Tom ended up serving in the U.S. Air Force for 4½ years. He was honorably dis­charged in December 1945.
He returned to Longview and started selling health and accident insurance, following in his mother's footsteps. Then, in 1946, he opened a general agency selling fire and casualty insurance. In 1947, he took Harold Turner as a partner, and they formed Landers and Turner Insurance, which was in business for 43 years until their retirement in 1990.
Tom married Dorothy Mosty of Kerrville in December 1942, and last year they celebrated their 70th anniversary. From this union there are three sons, Thomas W. III, Michael Carl and Jerry Burney Landers. All three sons graduated from Longview High School and the University of Texas at Austin.
Tom joined First Christian Church at the age of 10 and has since served as a deacon, elder, elder for life, chairman of the official board and taught Sunday school in the high school department. He was a longtime member of the Loyal Men's class, then the Cornerstone class, of which he had served as president.
Memberships included: 32 degree Mason; Scottish Rite; Sharon Temple Shrine; Royal Order of Jesters; Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 26 (50 years and served as chancellor commander); Downtown Long­view Rotary Club (35 years perfect attendance, attended meetings in Stockholm, Rome, London, Paris, etc, Paul Harris Fellow); Men's Garden Club of Longview (past president and director); Independent Insurance Agents of Texas and America; Independent Insurance Agents of Longview (past president and director); Longview Chamber of Com­merce (chairman of various committees); Pinecrest Country Club (director and president in 1980); Cherokee Club (board of directors and vice president); and Texas Society of Sons of the American Revolution (descendant of William Brewer of Virginia).
Services included: trustee of Longview Independent School District (12 years, two term president of the board); past chairman of the board, Region VII Education Service Center in Kilgore, Texas; board member and chairman of the board when Gregg County Appraisal District was formed; member and past chairman of Parks and Recreation board, City of Longview; American Legion Post 0140, Longview; director of Southwest Motor Club of AAA, Dallas, Texas; American Heart Association Board, Gregg County, (board member); Longview Savings and Loan Assn. (past director); Boy Scouts Troop Committee Chairman, Troop No. 201 (three sons were past members); Little League baseball program (past coach and umpire); Meals on Wheels (11 years); active in United Way fund drives; and a loyal Lobo fan for his entire life
It gave Tom great satisfaction to be able to serve the city and community where he was born and raised with pride as being a Longviewite.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Georgia Utzman Landers and Tom W. Landers Sr.; sister, Mary Emily Landers Campbell; as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins in the Longview area.
Tom was always an optimist and a happy person. He would come home from work each day and enter the door whistling. He would tell of his day's work at the office. He loved to tell jokes and could remember them better than most. He loved people and had many lifelong friends. He was a joy to live with. His hobbies included golf, hunting dove and quail and fishing.
He looked forward to visits from all of his family and would arrange to be sure they had a good time during their visits. Known as "Grand" to his grandchildren, he was truly a family man.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Monday, March 4, 2013, at First Christian Church, with the Rev. Richard Emerson and the Rev. David Farmer officiating, under direction of Rader Funeral Home. Private burial will be in Memory Park Ce­me­tery. The family will receive friends from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, March 3, 2013, at the funeral home.
Tom is survived by his wife, Dorothy E. Landers; and sons, Thomas W. Landers III and wife, Joan, of Santa Ana, California, Michael C. Landers and wife, Karen, of Mandeville, Louisiana, and Jerry B. and wife, Shirley, of Houston, Texas.
He is survived by his grandchildren, Laura Thorne and husband, Jon, Alison Wenster, Matthew Landers and wife, Elizabeth, Casey Landers, Alison Thorpe, Steven Thorpe and wife, Audrey, and Emily Frank.
He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Lauren Wenster, Megan Wenster, Ryane Thorne, Reese Landers, Colton Thorne, Carter Landers and Alex Roger; and his niece, Candi Campbell.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church, 720 N. Sixth St., Longview, TX 75601, or to the charity of your choice.
A memorial guestbook may be signed at www.raderfh.com