Thomas Albert Jarvis

Tom was born in New Rochelle, New York, March 20, 1936 to Kenneth Warner Jarvis and Ruth Belle (Stritmatter) Jarvis. He grew up in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Il, and graduated from New Trier High School in 1954. Tom attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science in 1959. He was married to Carol Jean McGowen on May 20, 1960, in Winnetka.

He was commissioned through the Duke ROTC as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force in 1959, leaving the Service in 1971 as a Captain. He continued his service to the nation as a Civil Servant until his retirement in 1993, having worked at Andrews AFB near Clinton, Maryland, and Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas. Tom fell in love with San Antonio, Texas in 1959, having been sent there for training by the Air Force, and eventually became a naturalized Texan in 1982.

Growing up in Winnetka, Tommy Jarvis was an athlete, playing and excelling in most sports, and a Boy Scout. He was a letterman and starting Quarterback for the New Trier High School football team, and an Eagle Scout. He continued to be passionate about sports and Scouting into his adult life. He was often the first coach to his four children. He was also one of their Scoutmasters, working both with the Boy Scouts of Troop 293 in Surrattsville (Clinton), Maryland and Troop 804 of San Antonio, Texas, and with the Girl Scouts of Troop 2411 of Clinton. Tom remained a faithful fan of Duke Basketball, the Chicago Cubs, (having attended their last World Series appearance in 1945 as a child), Chicago Blackhawks, and the Chicago Bears. However, he readily adopted the San Antonio Spurs as his “hometown” team in basketball. In thirty years, Tom rarely missed a varsity football game of the James Madison High School Mavericks (the Alma Matre of his two youngest children). He attended all of his grandson’s JV Football games at Madison as well. After retiring, Tom found a new passion as a substitute teacher, serving the students of North East ISD from his retirement in 1993 until his failing health forced him out of the classroom in late 2012.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Carol Jean Jarvis; his children, William Joe Jarvis, Cynthia Elaine Jarvis, Laura Colleen Ferguson and Michael Andrew Jarvis, son-in-law Brian Ferguson, and daughter-in-law Deborah Lynn (Mueller) Jarvis. His grandchildren include Kathleen Marie Jarvis, Jacob Michael Jarvis, Scott Garrett Ferguson, Haley Rose Ferguson, Daniece Nicole Mueller and Dakota Jean Hendrick; his siblings are sister Dorothy Ann (Jarvis) Miller of Mason, OH, George Robert “Bob” Jarvis of Wildwood, Il, Barbara Louise (Jarvis) Payson of Thetford Center, NH, and adopted grandchildren Lauren Joann Zuehl and Amber Allanan Zuehl and numerous nieces and nephews across the country.

Funeral arrangements:

Viewing 6pm -8pm October 28, 2013

Memorial Service 3pm October 29th

Graveside Internment at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 10am Friday, November 1, 2013

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in memory of Thomas A. Jarvis; Tom & Carol were engaged to be married in Memphis. Please follow this link to purchase a memorial card and donate on-line to honor Tom’s memory, St. Jude Memorial Donation Card, or call and donate by phone:

800-805-5856.