Thomas Vanderkar Wolcott IV

Thomas V. Wolcott IV crossed the finish line on February 23, 2023. He was born January 16, 1943, in Troy, New York to Thomas V. Wolcott III and Marjory A. Cramer Wolcott. He was 80 years young and forever a child at heart who did all things his own way.

From a ripe, young age, Tim or Tom (depending on when or how you knew him) was obsessed with Chevrolets. Starting with working at a Chevy dealership in upstate NY, he became known as the “Corvair Guy” and the star mechanic for the new air-cooled vehicles. Then from his first 1940 Chevy Hot Rod and ending with a large collection of all things Chevy over the years, our father became known as the nation-wide guru of 1940 Chevrolets and was often contacted from enthusiasts for his expertise and advice. After moving to Arizona in 1968, he owned several small automotive shops across the valley. Then, after losing the love of his life, Dixie Carol, in 1975, he committed his life to raising his three children Dack, Shelly, and Tina as a single father. This led to a new career as an automotive instructor for Universal Technical Institute where he taught for 29 years. It was there that he discovered his passion and great talent for teaching future generations the art of automotive mechanics.

In addition, our father was very active in the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America (VCCA) and would often take his children on road trips across the United States for car shows and gallivanting through old towns, farms, and fields in search of his next project car to restore. His other hobbies included muscle cars, Pepsi and Pepsi Memorabilia, and the collecting of firearms, specifically those with a strong history or a unique story. He also once worked at Ad Astra Telescopes where he machined telescope/camera parts and helped design and built the cameras on the Mariner IV that took the first pictures of Mars.

His happy-go-lucky persona, his intensely vast knowledge of automotives, and his jovial laugh touched the lives of so many people.

As well as a great legacy and many, many friends, he leaves behind his three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, and his longtime partner, Jan. His wit, his sarcasm, his strong political beliefs, his smile, and his loving warmth will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Until we meet again… pedal to the metal Pops!