A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he was born July 6, 1949 to James Fred Germany Jr. and Dorothy Janell Cadenhead. He passed away after a long illness on November 20, 2012.
During Tom’s early years, the family moved around quite a bit. With stays in Nebraska, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, then back to Ft. Worth. Houston, Dallas, Towson, Md., and finally back to Ft. Worth in 1967. Traveling was something he seemed to enjoy since he always made friends easily, never having met a stranger. From the time he could crawl, which he did, right out of the house and into a corn field in central Nebraska, where we lived at the time. It took 4 hours to find him. Or when he was 17 years old and wanted to go see the love of his life. Four days and 1600 miles later, Towson, Maryland to Midland, Texas. What a storm, but to Tom it was just another adventure.
Which fit quite neatly into his outlook on life, which was it was far better to ask for forgiveness than permission. There was never any question that he was going to do what he wanted, just how much trouble he would be in after he did whatever “it” was. Why ask for permission, someone might just say no, and “No” was word that had several definitions in his book.
Tom attended Southwest High School, in Fort Worth, the first year it opened before joining the U.S. Navy in 1968. Tom joined the Navy simply because he did not know what he wanted to do at the time. And, there was no small amount of pressure from his parents. He was stationed on board the U.S.S. Spiegel Grove, an LSD in the Caribbean Sea until his discharge in 1970. Like many of us, Tom was going to serve his time and then come home. He never did like taking orders so he came home as fast as he could.
Tom returned to Fort Worth and began working for one of the family businesses, Cadenhead Construction, first as a laborer then as a carpenter’s apprentice. By 1971 he was working for his father at Tri-Way Concrete Pumping, Inc. where he operated a concrete pump for several years.
Tom left Tri-Way in the mid-nineties and started several endeavors of his own culminating in J.T. Construction, a remodel and light construction company.
An avid fisherman, Tom would stop whatever he was doing to go fishing if asked. Whether it was surf fishing in Rockport, Fly fishing in Colorado or just fishing the local lakes. If Tom saw a body of water he always wondered if there might be anything worth catching in it. If there was a sign that said “NO FISHING” well, he “KNEW” that they had merely forgotten to write the “Except Tom” on the sign.
Tom was quick to rise in the defense of others and was a good and loyal friend to many. He loved his dogs “Pepper and Sheba” and his cats June bug and Tigger, who were his constant companions these last few years.
Tom is survived by his loving wife Carmen, of Hurst, one brother, William Germany and his wife Debra, of Trophy Club. Betty Shambley of Hurst, Jackie Cadenhead of Fort Worth, Eddie Cadenhead of Fort Worth. Mary K. Linfield and husband Peter, of North Richland Hills. Robert Cadenhead and wife Julie of Sachse. Mary Pickerell of Hurst. Susan Nash, and husband Ron of Dallas. Mark Cadenhead, and wife Isabell of Seguin. Marjorie Anderson, and husband Bob of Heber Springs, Ar. Tim Shambley of Euless and Nona Perry of River Oaks.
The family would also like to acknowledge and give thanks to the group of people that showed so much compassion for Tom and his family. Thanks to the ICU Nursing staff at Baylor All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth who worked so hard to help Tom on the night of his death. A special heartfelt thanks to Kristy and John, the two nurses that were with Tom in his last minutes of full life.
We would also like to thank the doctors at Liver Consultants of Texas-Ft. Worth: Manjushre Gautam, MD, Steven A. Gonzalez, MD, Apurva A. Modi, MD, Natalie G.B. Murry, MD. Also the doctors at Dialysis Associate of Ft. Worth; Charles E. Andrews, MD, Sandeep K. Shori, MD, as well as Renal Associates, PA in San Antonio, Texas; Paraic J. Mulgrew, MD., F.A.C.P.
There will be a visitation on Tuesday night 6:30 to 8:30 with a Rosary recited at 7:00 pm. at Shannon Funeral Chapel, 6001 Rufe Snow Drive in North Richland Hills. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, December 1 at 10:00 am, at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in San Antonio. Burial will be in San Fernando Cemetery #2.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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