Thomas “Tom” Wilbur

Thomas "Tom" Wilbur

Born December 10, 1958 – Norton, Kansas

Went home with Jesus September 6, 2025

He was surrounded by his family….

Tom Wilbur was a very unconventional man, so this obituary will follow suit.

Words often used to describe Tom: determined, assertive, resilient, complex, and with a great sense of humor. One of his most famous phrases was, "I don't do weddings and I don't do funerals."

Tom enjoyed gathering with family and friends, usually around a barbecue grill or smoker. He loved listening to 70s classic rock, playing Rummikub, and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved classic cars as well and his last favorite was a 1970 dodge challenger white with a black vinyl top. In recent years, he took up restoring small farm tractors-a hobby that perfectly matched his hands-on spirit. He also loved mowing the lawn, and in the words of his wife he had "lawn striping wars" with the neighbors.

Together with his wife of 37 years-Leigh Ann, Tom built a blended family that he was deeply proud of:

• His : Sunny (Lamb), Thomas Jr., and William

• Hers: April (Rice)

• Ours: Alex

From this family came 10 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren (with one more on the way). Tom delighted in teasing, hugging, and spending time with those little ones. When he couldn't be with them in person, he was quick to video call-always wanting to see their smiles, even through a phone screen.

Tom was the fifth of 13 children born to Lester and Norma Wilbur.

Tom also became very fond of dogs in his later years. When he retired from owning his own home repair business he found another small dog and named her Mia- saying I named her that because I had to get "Mia" dog lol

In the final years of his life, he was on a mission to mend broken relationships and to introduce as many family and friends as possible to Jesus.

Tom lived boldly, laughed often, and loved deeply. He will be missed.