Tom Brooks Metcalfe

Tom Brooks Metcalfe, 96, of Austin, Texas, was called home to be with the Lord on June 3, 2016. He was born near Smithville, Bastrop Coun-ty, Texas, on February 26, 1920. He attended McDade schools and in 1937 graduated from Elgin High School. He earned three degrees in chemi-cal engineering: bachelor’s (1941) and master’s (1947) degrees from the University of Texas, and Doctor of Philosophy degree (1953) from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Brooks was a registered Professional Engineer, having industrial experience with Dow Chemical and Shell Oil companies. He was a consult-ant in the US and in Canada, and was a liaison with the Atomic Energy Commission, and also with the Canadian Atomic Energy Authority. He served on the faculty and staff of the University of Texas, Georgia Tech, University of Houston, West Virginia Institute of Technology, and the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, where he retired after serving as Department Head for nineteen years. Active at the national level, he was named Fellow by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. During an extended industrial experience, in which results were considered proprietary and therefore not published, he made significant contributions to the reduction of sulfur re-lease into the atmosphere, providing conversion of sulfur into useful products; and to the enhancement of the more useful products of petroleum refining. His publications on a wide variety of subjects appeared in the US, Europe and Australia. He was also a writer and reviewer for the Texas State Historical Association and contributor to the Hand-book of Texas.

In the early years of WWII, Brooks shared in the Army/Navy national service award to his company for contribution to the war effort, and in 1943 volunteered for service in the Naval Reserve. He served in the Philippine Liberation; at Iwo Jima, first wave; at Okinawa, first wave; in the surrender ceremonies in Tokyo; and in the Japanese Occupation. After thirteen years in the Naval Reserve, he re-signed his commission of Lieu-tenant in 1956.

Brooks was baptized in the Elgin Presbyterian Church in 1935. In his various home towns he served Methodist churches as board member, Sunday School Superintendent, teacher and choir member. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Gwendolyn Imogene “Jean” Soward Metcalfe; his parents Joseph Franklin Metcalfe Sr and Louise Taylor Metcalfe; sisters Mary Nell Metcalfe and Josephine L Metcalfe Smith; brother Joseph F Metcalfe Jr.; sister-in-law Sue Ross Metcalfe, sons-in-law Rodger T Ellis and Michael G Gallup; nephews Francis P Smith III and Joseph F Metcalfe III; and grandson Joseph P Montiel.

He is survived by four daughters Gwendolyn J Ellis, Linda G Gallup, Marilyn L Metcalfe, Carolyn M Montiel; brother Taylor W Metcalfe; sister-in-law Ann Soward Woods; grandchildren Rodger M Ellis; Ginger L Ellis, Ross Brooks and Noemi Ellis, Jonathan L and Rebekah Montiel, Michael Brooks Gallup, Amberle R Gallup, Lyssandra R Gallup; great-grandchildren Esther E Ellis, Erik Brooks Ellis, and Emma M Ellis; nieces and nephews Catherine and Bruce James, Barbara Jo and Terry Ebner, Warren and Pam Metcalfe, Eleanor and Troy Bishop, Robin and Randy Akin, Christy and Howard Hines, Kelley and Carly Woods, Rodney and Tracy Soward, and their families.

Services will be will be June 25, 2016 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar, Austin. Visitation with family and friends at 12 noon, memorial service at 1:00 pm in the Colonial Chapel, with Rev. Gene Smith of Eternal Faith Baptist Church officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Austin Memorial Park, Hancock Dr.