Thomas Anspach

Thomas Eric Anspach, 87, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away on October 26, 2024. He was born in Tsingtao, China, on May 2, 1937, to the late Sylvia and Paul Parker Anspach. He attended Springfield High School and Wittenberg University and later graduated with a degree in City Planning from the University of Cincinnati. Tom met his future wife, Jane (Grozier), in Art History class at Wittenberg University. He said she was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. They were happily married for 62 years. Tom was cheerful, friendly, and loved to meet new people.

He served four years in the United States Coast Guard and was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, on the icebreaker USCGC Storis. While in Alaska, he chased polar bears and hit a home run above the Arctic Circle. Tom worked in city planning for the City of Springfield. In the 1980s, he went to work for the U.S. Postal Service in Columbus and Powell, Ohio. Throughout his career, he was a freelance cartographer in his spare time, creating maps of Springfield and about a dozen other cities in Ohio. In 1975, Tom published a 3D map of downtown Pittsburgh which won a national map design competition from the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Tom was well known for his sense of humor, especially puns. He had a joke for every occasion. During the 1970s, Tom proudly embraced the fashion of the times, which included large loud neckties which he happily wore to work every day. In the 1982, Springfield Round-Up Chili Contest his Chili Campo del Manantial recipe won third place. He enjoyed participating in the Senior Olympics especially in table tennis, cycling, and track events. Tom collected maps from around the world and was a jazz enthusiast especially Latin and big band. He was an avid football fan of OSU Buckeyes, Browns, Bengals, and Steelers. He had been a soccer fan since the 1970s and was a fan of the Columbus Crew. He enjoyed running, and participated in many community foot races. Tom volunteered his time with Meals on Wheels and proudly was able to give 14.5 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross over his lifetime.

Tom treasured his family and was a wonderful father and grandfather, taking his kids on long camping trips every summer, and family vacations to Virginia Beach, Toronto, the Smoky Mountains, and other places. He enjoyed spending many hours with his grandson. He loved walking the family pet dogs, most recently Eddie.

He is survived by his loving wife, Jane Ellen Anspach; three children Rebecca (Keith Connolly) Anspach, Eric Anspach, and Susan (David) Allen; grandson Michael Thomas Allen; sister-in-law Marlene Grozier and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Tom’s memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Red Cross.