Tom L. Seeliger

Tom was born to parents Helen Kuechenmeister and Oscar Seeliger in Stillwater, Oklahoma on the 14th of September 1943. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Seeliger; son, Tony Seeliger and his wife Kay and their children, Sarah and Carter; son, Tyson Seeliger and his wife Maggie Seeliger and their children, Anabelle and Brody; and his sisters, Jill Shelton and Martha Dean.

Tom spent his entire working life in the contract drilling business. After graduating high school in 1961, he began working as a roughneck for Big Chief Drilling in Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In 1965, he and Sharon embarked on an international journey with Santa Fe Drilling Company, having two sons along the way.

Initially as driller in Libya, he progressed through increasingly senior leadership roles in Nigeria, Argentina, Trinidad, Venezuela, Texas, California, England, Scotland, and finally back to Texas where he was promoted to lead global operations as the company’s Senior Vice President of Operations. A true “roughneck to c-suite” success story until retiring in 2002 from what by then had become Global Santa Fe Corporation, he retired on the coast in Aransas Pass, Texas, where he pursued his passion for reading and offshore fishing and hunting with his sons.

In 2019, Tom and Sharon moved to Houston, Texas to be closer to their sons and families, where after years abroad, they had the opportunity to celebrate many special times together in the last few years of his life.

Tom was a Santa Fe Drilling icon with a bigger-than-life presence who impacted many people over his life and career. Tom had true grit. He worked tirelessly to ensure his operations performed at the highest level and that his crews around the world had the right tools and support at the right time. He formed lifelong friendships all over the world, and memories that will continue to be shared by his many friends and family for years to come. He loved hard, worked hard and played hard. Tom left an indelible mark on his industry and the community of people lucky to call him husband, father, brother and friend.

A celebration of Tom’s life is to be held from two until four o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 21st of October, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that those who wish to express sympathy consider donating to their favorite charity in Tom L. Seeliger’s name.

We invite you to take a few moments to share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence with his family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon below.

“Tom will be deeply missed but fondly remembered.”