Thomas Richard Brous
June 24, 2023
Kansas City, Missouri - Thomas Richard Brous, 80, died peacefully with family surrounding him on June 24, 2023, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
Tom was born on January 7, 1943, in Fulton, MO. After his father returned home from WWII, he and his parents moved to Kansas City, MO where he attended Kansas City schools, was known as "T.D.", and was a proud Eagle Scout. He was president of his Southwest High School class of 1961. He graduated from Northwestern University (Bachelor of Science in Economics) in 1965 and the University of Michigan (Juris Doctor, cum laude) in 1968. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity at Northwestern. He was the Assistant Editor, Michigan Law Review, 1967-1968.
While at Northwestern, he met Patty Catlin, who was also from Kansas City. They married in 1964, moved back to Kansas City, and had two children, Anna, and Joel. Tom and Patty were devoted parents, enjoyed the arts, and spending time at Ottertail Lake, Minnesota and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
After passing the Missouri Bar exam in 1968, he served four years as a captain in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. Following military service in 1972, he spent his law career with Watson, Ess, Marshall & Enggas and Stinson LLP, until his retirement in 2016. Tom was a national speaker and thought leader in his practice focusing on taxation and employee benefits. For over ten years, he taught tax courses as an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas School of Law.
After 35 years of marriage, Patty died in 1999. Tom was blessed to meet Mary Lou McClelland Kroh through a mutual friend and they were married in 2001. Tom and Mary Lou shared a passion for travel, T.S. Eliot, family, and each other, for 21 glorious years.
Tom was a philanthropist, serving as a trustee for Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Barstow School, and various other boards and organizations, as well as an active member at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (serving multiple terms on the Vestry including Senior Warden and Chancellor) and Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral (Chancellor).
Tom was a voracious, life-long reader, published author ("Why Read Four Quartets?"), avid runner, loyal attendee of Anna and Joel's sporting events as they grew up, movie buff, fan of Northwestern and Michigan football, art and theater enthusiast, and Civil War expert.
Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Richard Pendleton Brous, and Augusta Gilpin Brous, and first wife Patty Catlin Brous. Tom leaves his second wife Mary Lou Brous, children Anna Catlin Brous Mills and Joel Pendleton Brous (Carrie Brous), stepsons Bradford Piersol Kroh (Jan-Marie Kroh) and Miles Reed Kroh (Alice Kroh) and eleven grandchildren: Skylar Catlin Mills, Samantha Reddington Mills, Sloane Grace Mills, Zoe Catlin Brous, Phoebe Callin Brous, Sophie Mulholland Brous, Caroline Grace Kroh, Claire McClelland Kroh, Brigid Christine Kroh, Emily Elizabeth Kroh and John Patrick McClelland Kroh.
A service and celebration of life will be held on July 24, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 West 13th Street, Kansas City, MO. Donations in Tom's name will be graciously accepted by St. Luke's Hospice House, saintlukesgiving.givevirtuous.org.