Thomas Lee Ashcraft Jr.

Thomas (Tom) Lee Ashcraft, Jr, was born on June 1, 1933 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was the oldest child of Thomas Leon Ashcraft and Mary Elizabeth Sykes and had two younger sisters, Shirley Ann Jones and Carol Lynn Franklin. While Tom was growing up, the family moved to the Houston area. Tom attended Spring Branch High School where he developed an interest in science and played football earning all-district honors as an offensive lineman. After graduation from high school, Tom began attending the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s and doctoral degree in chemistry.

In 1953, Tom married Doris Ann Guest, his high school sweetheart, and they lived in Austin while Tom finished his academic accomplishments at UT Austin. They enjoyed many memorable weekends at home and at Lake Travis with special life-long friends who were also post graduate students at the university. After Tom’s graduation in 1964, the couple moved to Bellaire, Texas, where Tom spent two years helping his father and uncle run Ashcraft Bakery which provided breads, pastries and cakes for the community and local businesses. In 1966, Tom accepted a position as a chemist with Exxon and began working in research and development of petroleum products. In 1972, the family moved to Baytown to be closer to Exxon Research and Engineering where Tom worked.

During his 28-yr career with Exxon, Tom contributed to numerous patents and had the opportunity to serve in a key role for the clean-up effort on the Valdez Oil Spill in 1989. In 1990, Tom served as the scientific lead in the development of Turbo Oil 2197 which at the time of his retirement, was being used in 90% of the jet engines used by commercial airlines. Chances are that you have flown on a plane with engines using the oil that Tom developed. While at Exxon, he achieved the title of Senior Scientific Advisor, the highest technical position in the company and an accomplishment of which he was very proud.

Tom and Doris had three children: Diana in 1964, Thomas in 1966 and Lee Steven in 1970. As a family, they enjoyed summer vacations visiting national parks, going hunting on family property near Rusk, Texas, taking camping trips to Montana, and skiing excursions during winter months in Colorado. Tom loved to work with his hands and enjoyed woodworking and welding. He also enjoyed fishing whether it be using live bait in coastal waters or flyfishing rivers and streams in Montana. He was always inspired and refreshed by being outdoors. While in Baytown, Tom volunteered at the Baytown Little Theatre where he performed as an actor, directed plays, and built sets used in performances. Tom and Doris divorced in 1987.

In 1988, Tom married Joy Korver Wristers and they lived in Baytown until 1990 when they moved to Newark, New Jersey for Tom’s work on Turbo Oil 2197. Tom loved Joy’s children, Dirk, Kimberly, Katrina and Kishna, and cherished the relationship he had with them. In 1994, Tom retired from Exxon and Tom and Joy moved to Volente, TX where Tom realized his lifelong dream of living on Lake Travis. At their home on the lake, they shared wonderful memories with family throughout the year and hosted annual Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday gatherings. They also enjoyed spending time with friends at neighborhood parties, wine tastings, and vacations. Tom was an excellent cook and family favorites were his eggs benedict, cinnamon sticky buns and lemon merengue pie. Tom would always offer his homemade margaritas whenever he and Joy would host guests. During his retirement, Tom took classes at Austin Community College to learn Spanish and was always eager to converse in Spanish whether traveling on vacation or at a local restaurant. Tom lived a full life that was characterized by learning, laughter and love and he will be greatly missed.

Tom is survived by his wife, Joy; his children and their spouses, Dirk and Lori Wristers of Breckenridge, CO, Scott and Diana Armstrong of Millican, TX, Thomas and Donna Ashcraft of Cedar Park, TX, Scott and Katrina Bradley of Scottsdale, AZ, Ty and Kishna Weaver of Bee Cave, TX, and Steve and Angela Ashcraft of Breckenridge, CO; 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Friday, January 10th, 2025, at 11:30 AM with a Celebration of Life Service honoring Tom to follow at 1:00 PM at Hill Country Bible Church at Steiner Ranch in Austin. Interment will held at Wheat Cemetery in Millican, Texas at 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 11, 2025.