Thomas Edward Wetmore

Wetmore, Thomas Edward August 28, 1927 - December 13, 2012 Survived by sons Alan, Jay (Connie), Chris (Annette), David (Kris); grandchildren Leigh, Diane, Derek, Carter, Brooke, Anna, Adam, Katie, Annika. Preceded in death by grandson Sam and wife Jean. Tom was born in Evanston and raised in Skokie, Illinois. His parents were Henry and Marion (West). Older sister Elizabeth resides in Houston, Texas and younger sister Margaret in Rio, Illinois. Tom was an Eagle Scout and later an Assistant Scout Master with several troops in Massachusetts for many years. He served in the US Army occupation forces in Japan in 1947. Tom was graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1950 and became a Professional Engineer in 1955. He worked most of his career as a highway engineer and traffic engineer with Edwards & Kelcey, winning awards for highways he designed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, in Mankato, Minnesota, and on the North Shore of Minnesota. He and Jean were married in 1954 and were together 54 years. They had a honeymoon on the coast of Maine, where they would retire more than 40 years later. They raised four children in Medfield, Mass, before moving to Bloomington, MN, in 1978. After retiring in 1994, they fulfilled a plan of many years by building a home on the coast of Maine near Pemaquid Point. Tom combined his engineering skill and love of architecture to design their houses in Medfield and in Maine. In 2006, Tom and Jean moved to Northfield to be closer to children and grandchildren. Tom loved to garden. In Maine he was a member of The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the Mid-Maine Rose Society. He loved roses and grew rose bushes in each of his gardens. His love of photography is apparent in the many photos he took and the cherished ones he had printed and framed, and that hung on the walls of his home. He was also an avid railroad modeler, and enjoyed hearing Chris tell stories of working on a 7-1/2"-gauge railroad located on a friend's property in Michigan. Tom suffered from asthma and later in his life had limited ability to leave the house. The last two-and-a-half years of his life his oldest grandchild, Leigh, lived with him and was his primary care giver. Services will be 1:00 PM Thursday, January 3, 2013, at the Chapel of the Northfield Retirement Community, 900 Cannon Valley Drive, Nfld. Reception to follow, visitation one hour prior. Benson & Langehough (507) 645-5123 www.northfieldfuneral.com