Thomas "Tom" A. Giddings

Tom was born on Christmas Day in 1934 at 2:00 in the afternoon, totally disrupting his family’s Christmas celebration. He was the fourth child of George and Marian Giddings, and was later joined by four more siblings. Tom grew up in Lansing, Michigan. Early in his life he established good work skills, selling weekly magazines in the 1940’s, including Saturday Evening Post and Colliers. He also delivered morning newspapers.

Tom graduated from Eastern High School in 1952 and from Michigan State University in 1956, with a BS degree in physical science and mathematics. Soon after graduation Tom married Kathleen Northey at the Alumni Chapel on the campus of Michigan State University. He began his teaching career in Mason, Michigan in 1956 and remained there a few years before moving to the Lansing School District, beginning at Walter French Jr. High. Feeling the need for more education he went back for a Master's degree, which he received in 1959, and an Educational Specialist Degree in 1965. In 1975 Tom established an individualized teaching center for students having difficulty in mathematics. He changed schools when Walter French was closed in 1981, moving to Everett High School. In 1985 he initiated the first student computer center in the Lansing Public Schools, and taught programming in Basic and Pascal. He retired in 1989 after 29 years with the Lansing School District.

Writing educational computer software for mathematics instruction provided a new learning experience in 1991, while he was working for Hartley Courseware and Jostens Learning. He later became a mathematics tutor at Lansing Community College, with his final retirement in 2005. With his wife Kathy as his travel partner, he visited Japan, South Korea, Europe and Egypt, sampling the great food throughout the world. The most rewarding experience was staying in apartments and houses in Great Britain, France and Italy through UnTours Vacations.

Tom sang with the Men of Orpheus for more than 60 years and was an officer of the Michigan Male Chorus Association. He was also president of the Board of Directors at Capital Area School Employees Credit Union from 1978 to 1990. He continued to be physically active by walking, biking and swimming throughout his life. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Kathy; siblings, George H.

Giddings, Mary Ann Hood, and John W. Giddings; and special companion, Dorothy Merk. He is survived by his daughter Melanie (Steven) Kahler, son Mark J. Giddings, granddaughters Justine (Nathan) Bell, Anna Kahler (Christopher Brett) and great-grandson Harrison Thomas Bell. He is also survived by siblings; Edwin R. Giddings, James R. (Julie) Giddings, Joanna R. Illiew and Michael H. (Louise) Giddings; sister-in-law Karen (Fathi) Saad; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will take place at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes Lansing Chapel, 900 E. Michigan Ave, at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 19, 2023, with visitation held from 6:00-8:00 pm on Friday.

If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Greater Lansing Food Bank or Men of Orpheus of Lansing, Michigan.