Thomas Luther Shreffler

Thomas Luther Shreffler, 59, passed away on September 23, 2013 surrounded by his family. He was born on February 23, 1954 in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Velma Officer Shreffler and Luther Ray Shreffler. Tom was a joy to his family starting out in life fearless from the start and eager to live fully.

Tom and his family moved from Ponca City to Houston, Texas when Tom was seven years old. He graduated from Bellaire High School and attended the University of Houston. He went to work with his father selling dry cleaning supplies for Hope Chemicals. When his father’s health declined Tom took over his work to help the family. After his father passed away, Tom went to work for a friend of Luther’s, John Martin of Scott Equipment, installing commercial laundry equipment in all of the major hotels, hospitals, and nursing homes throughout Houston as well as much of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Tom was continuing in the tradition of the Shreffler Laundry established in Ponca City by his grandfather Ray Shreffler.

Tom enjoyed history, NASCAR, travel, and computers. His greatest pleasures were his family and friends, cooking, and his beloved cats and pups. His family remembers his daily acts of kindness and generosity. His sister Susan referred to Tom as her “knight in the beat up blue pick-up truck.” Tom’s family holds on to happy memories of his youth and is proud of the man that Tom came to be. His selflessness as an adult and his fierce love of life touched each one of them. All those who knew him know that this description of his life does not begin to convey what a wonderful person he was but as Tom himself would say, “Them’s there and that’s that.”

He is survived by his mother Velma Shreffler; his siblings: Susan Zeletz (and husband Frank Zeletz) of Houston, John Shreffler (and wife Anne Chatoney Shreffler) of Boston, Andrew Shreffler of Houston, and Barbara Shreffler (and husband Robert Hunter Estep) of Houston; five nephews and nieces: Carl Johnson (wife Jessie and son Miller), Henry Shreffler, Jen Coble (husband Chris and daughter Julia), Genevieve Zeletz, Tracy Zeletz, and Ana Lisa Schwartz (husband Stu and daughters Jillian and Daisy).

The family would like to thank John Martin, who was like a second father to Tom, and all of the good people of Scott Equipment. Additionally, they thank Tom's cardiologist R. David Fish, for his dedication and devotion to giving him more quality time on this planet.

A Celebration of Tom’s Life will be held on Saturday, November 2nd at noon at Scott Equipment, 5612 Mitchelldale St; Houston, Texas 77092.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Tom's life to the Houston SPCA and the Houston Humane Society.