Thomas Edward Greenwood

March 1, 1937- January 30, 2019

THOMAS EDWARD GREENWOOD, 81, of Washington Township, died January 30, 2019 in the care of Hospice of Dayton. He passed away peacefully, in dignity and without pain, surrounded by his family after a long illness.

Tom was a retired elementary school principal with the Dayton Public Schools, serving thousands of students in eight different schools over his nearly thirty-year career, from 1963 until his retirement in 1992. He was devoted to his thousands of students and the hundreds of professional colleagues he worked with in the schools.

Tom was born to Edward and Della (Talbot) Greenwood in Dayton in 1937, the last of four children -- his sisters Ruthanne, Carolyn Jeanne, and Lida Catherine finally had a baby brother. He graduated from Wilbur Wright High School in 1955.

After graduation, Tom enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving from 1955 until his honorable discharge in 1959. While serving near Syracuse, NY, he met his future wife, Barbara Greenwald, after they were introduced by mutual friends due to their similar names and shared interests.

Near the end of his service, Tom married Barbara. After his discharge, the couple moved to be near Tom's family in Dayton. Both worked, Tom driving a newspaper delivery truck at night while attending the University of Dayton full-time. He received his bachelor's degree from UD in 1963. Only two months later, Tom and Barbara had their first of three boys, Scott Thomas.

Tom continued to teach, and he and Barbara welcomed their second child, Steven Edward, in 1965. Tom became an elementary school assistant principal and then principal. In 1971, they had their third son, Michael Philip.

Throughout their life together, Tom and Barbara raised their children to be truthful, work hard, treat everyone equally and with respect and dignity, value diversity and differing opinions, and to serve. Tom was a lifelong member of the United Church of Christ, baptized at Memorial UCC in Dayton just steps from the home where he was born, and Tom and Barbara served the congregation as deacon, elder, and Sunday school teachers while bringing their boys up in that church family.

After their retirements, Tom and Barbara continued their adventures, building a new home together in Washington Township and traveling throughout the country in their RV until Barbara was diagnosed with lung cancer. Tom served doggedly as Barbara's loving caregiver until she died in October 2000 after being married for 41 years.

Five years after losing Barbara, Tom discovered companionship and love with Kathleen Maxwell. They had over thirteen years together as fiancées, enjoying travel, dining out, football games, and time with family.

Tom loved the outdoors. The family enjoyed many memorable trips on school holidays, camping in national, provincial, and state parks throughout the U.S. and Canada. Tom enjoyed fishing more than any other recreational activity, and fishing boats soon joined the camping equipment. Tom also enjoyed going fishing and hunting with his buddies Jerry, Hugh, and Sam until his later years. Tom especially cherished his last fishing trip to Ontario with his son Steve and grandson Eric.

Tom was father, teacher, mentor, role model, and friend to his three sons. His oldest son Scott, a civil rights lawyer, tries to live his father's values and teachings through his life and career, and his son Steve, inspired by his father, follows his example, serving as a teacher and school principal, and most importantly as father. Tom's grandchildren Nicole and Eric were the absolute lights of his life, and he was proud of their achievements. A loving and devoted grandfather to them, he always delighted in spending time with them, family dinners and holidays with them, and especially taking them for Graeter's ice cream.

Tom was at his happiest fishing with his sons, grandchildren, and friends, in the company of his wife and life partner Barbara and later, his fiancée Kathy, in family dinners, holidays, and get togethers with extended family. He loved traveling, new adventures, and the wondrous beauty of the world. His face always lit up when meeting a child or baby or petting a friendly dog.

Tom was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, son Michael, his parents Edward and Della, and sister Lida Catherine Critchfield.

He is survived by his fiancée Kathleen Maxwell, sons Scott Thomas (Scottsdale, AZ) and Steven Edward (Springboro), their respective spouses Adil Faqah and Jodi Greenwood, and grandchildren Eric and Nicole, and her fiancé Kyle Kappler. He is also survived by his sisters Ruthanne Etter and Jeanne Craden, his brother- and sister-in-law Robert and Alma Greenwald (Elbridge, NY), as well as a host of nieces and nephews -- Betsy Etter, Jane Byers (Bill), Sally Christman (Ken), Jon Etter, Cindi Carrasas (Steve), Amy Kasprzak (Bob), Nancy Brown, Suzy Rosen, Connie Borromeo (Carlos), Sue Greenwald, and John Greenwald.

Most importantly, he is survived by his personal legacy as father, grandfather, uncle, role model, teacher, and friend to his family, and by his professional legacy -- the many schoolchildren he influenced and mentored throughout his career, the best teaching and administrative staffs he could have wished for, and many individual and family friends.

Tom's family is grateful for the loving care, assistance, and kindness shown to him by the staffs of St. Leonard's rehabilitation unit, the Elmcroft Community, and Hospice of Dayton.

The family will receive friends at Tobias Far Hills on Sunday, February 3, between 2-5 pm. Funeral service at David's Community Mausoleum Chapel on Monday, February 4 at 11:00 am, the Rev. Jon Eshelman officating, with interment to follow. For those who cannot attend in person, the family will be webcasting the Monday funeral service at https://goo.gl/KHdfo5

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial gifts to Hospice of Dayton, www.hospiceofdayton.org/donations or (937) 256-4490.