Thomas Blake Booth

THOMAS BLAKE BOOTH, devoted and loving father and grandfather and brother, age 70, died on Saturday, December 31st at his home in Savannah, Georgia with his children and grand children. He was born January 19th, 1941 in Norfolk, Virginia and spent much of his life in Hilton Head, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Tom graduated high school from Christ Church School, Tappahannock, VA. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Southern California where he was the captain of the crew team and received an Award of Merit Achievement in crew. Tom graduated from Officer Candidate School (OCS) Newport, RI in 1962 and was sworn in as Ensign, USNR, by his father, then a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. Tom served for three years on the ocean-going minesweeper, USS Notable as Chief Engineer where he was instrumental in finding one or more nuclear weapons in the western Med waters. Tom left the USN as full Lieutenant. He served with the CIA in junior officer training program. Following Tom's Naval career, he worked for General Electric for several years and then went on to work for the Sea Pines Company in Hilton Head, SC. He later purchased Resort Designs, where he expanded the company from its single location in Hilton Head Island to a successful chain of nine lowland locations. Following the sale of Resort Designs, Tom moved to Savannah in 1983 where he pioneered the development of the Savannah City Market. His goal was to develop a major downtown festival marketplace in the Historic District that helped to revitalize the downtown area and continues to contribute to the vitality of the Historic District today. Tom also founded the website optimization company, Year 2001. He also served as Chief Operating Officer of Cora Bett Thomas Realty. Tom's passions included sailing, walking on the beach and caring for his dogs. While in Hilton Head, Tom and his family enjoyed many days and nights aboard the Anne T Scott, which Tom lovingly named for his three children. Tom is survived by his sister, Peggy Scott Booth Ramsey (William E. Ramsey, VADM USN (Ret), his brother, Peter Blake Booth, RADM USN (Ret) (Carolyn Rhodes Booth), his children Charles Thomas Booth III (Heather Booth), Ashley Anne Booth Krewatch (Samuel Justin Krewatch), and Carrie Scott Booth McGranahan (Colin Andrew McGranahan), and former wife and dear friend Cora Bett Thomas. Tom is also survived by his former wife, Suzanne Deane Booth and seven grandchildren: Isabelle August and Sydney Lauren Booth, Elizabeth Page, Samuel Joseph and Priscilla Scott Krewatch, and Abigail Scott and Kathryn Saylor McGranahan. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Christopher Ramsey, Timothy Ramsey, Laura Booth Stanton and Renee Booth Whitley. He is survived by his golden retriever, Tybee. Tom is predeceased by his mother and father, Vice Admiral Charles Thomas Booth II, VADM USN (Ret) and Peggy Maltman Booth and nephew William Blake Ramsey. He is predeceased by his black labrador, Prince. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 3, 2011 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Remembrances may be made in Tom's memory to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1802 Abercorn St., Savannah, GA 31401 or a charity of choice.