Glen Thomas "Tom" VanDyke

1937 - 2021

Glen Thomas Van Dyke, known by his family and friends as "Tom" passed from this life and into the next on January 21, 2021 in Hernando, Florida surrounded by his family.

Tom was born November 12, 1937, in Elkton, Maryland to Clarence and Paris Van Dyke.

His father was a farmer and owned his own Gas Service station "Van Dyke Texaco" in Dover, Delaware where Tom learned the value of hard work and the ability to fix anything that had an engine.

He attended Rising Sun High School and joined the U.S. Air Force at age 18 where he served for 8 years. He proudly held several positions in the U.S. Air Force and received commendation for his ability to shoot. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force Pistol Team.

Tom was a man of deep conviction and strong values that loved his country and his family. He was known for his unwavering support of Chrysler "Mopar" products and his keen ability to diagnose "that weird sound" coming from a car. He was equally comfortable having his head under the roof of a car or his head in the oven taking out one of his signature pies. Whatever he did, he did to the best of his ability and had an insatiable need to do it to perfection.

Tom is survived by his spouse of 52 years, Shirley Ann Van Dyke, 4 daughters, 1 son and 6 grandchildren; Pam Van Dyke of Dallas, Texas, Terri Rodgers of Kingsport, Tennessee, Vanessa Hill of Jacksonville, Florida, Clarence Briley "Boh" Van Dyke of Ocala, Florida and Polly Van Dyke McKinley of San Antonio, Texas. He was affectionately known as "Papa" to his 6 grandchildren, Chris, Dylan, Brittin, Tyrus, Ethan and Natalie.

He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Wayne Van Dyke of Charleston, South Carolina.

Memorial Service will be held at Janes United Methodist Church in Rising Sun, Maryland on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at 12:00pm. It will be followed by a reception at the American Legion Pavilion at 1:30pm.