Thomas Everett Spencer

Austin Icon Tom Spencer died on April 2, 2025 almost six years after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2019. Tom is preceded in death by his parents Guy and Mary Spencer, his sister Diana Hoffman and brother Jeff Spencer. He is survived by his brother-in-law Doug Hoffman of Bismarck, North Dakota.

Tom was born on July 17, 1956, in Poughkeepsie, New York but he moved to Port Arthur, Texas with his family at an early age where his father was an executive with Texaco. Tom attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1975 to 1978, graduating with a BA degree in History.

Tom began work at KLRU Public Television in Austin in 1982 and continued a relationship with the station until his stroke in 2019 brought an end to that career. In the early days employees at the station had to fill multiple roles from interviews, fundraising or even camera work. Tom was an adaptable, multi-talented guy and quickly became a viewer favorite. Tom served as a manager and producer of local and statewide public affairs programs and documentaries on art and architecture. Tom hosted the wildly popular syndicated weekly show “the Central Texas Gardener” for 30 years from 1989 to 2019, making him a readily recognizable celebrity all over Texas and beyond.

An accomplished interviewer, Tom interviewed a wide variety of people from Texas Governors, national and local politicians, famous authors and movie stars. Tom’s calm, thoughtful and charming style of interviewing put his guests at ease but did not stop him from pursuing probing questions. The Austin Chronicle recognized him as the City’s “Best TV Moderator” in 2004.

Tom also somehow found time to host a Saturday morning call-in radio gardening show on KLBJ-AM in Austin for three decades. Tom’s encyclopedic knowledge of flowers, shrubs, and trees was legendary and he was seldom stumped by a caller’s question no matter how obscure. His popular website Soul of the Garden was a delight, containing a mix of his own photography, poetry and gardening and design advice. It won the “Mouse and Trowel” award for “Best Gardening Website of the Year” in 2007.

Tom also produced his own films and documentaries on art and architecture including the award winning “the Painted Churches of Texas, Echoes of the Homeland” in 2001, featuring the incredible murals in many Czech and German Catholic and Lutheran churches in rural Central Texas. It won National Educational Televisions' award for “Best Historical Documentary” that year.

In 2008 Tom branched out from public television to philanthropic work while still keeping a toehold in broadcasting. He was hired as CEO for the non-profit Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, now known as Interfaith Action of Central Texas. Tom loved its mission of funding needed repairs for impoverished elderly people so they could continue to live in their homes and assisting refugees settle in the community. In 2013, Tom accepted a new challenge as Executive Director of “I Live Here, I Give Here,” a non-profit dedicated to increasing philanthropic giving in general in Austin. Tom was incredibly successful in dramatically growing donations to area nonprofits during his three years with that organization.

In 2016 Tom became the Program Director at the National Wildlife Federation’s “Clean Water Initiative” in Texas. He remained there until 2019 when he accepted the Executive Director position at TreeFolks, a non-profit dedicated to growing and protecting the Central Texas tree canopy. Tom was a veteran “tree-hugger” and nature enthusiast and considered this new position to be his dream job and the culmination of his career. He had great plans for launching a large-scale reforestation campaign to combat our area’s rapid development and worsening global warming. Unfortunately, his good work for the trees was cut short when he suffered a severe stroke in September 2019. TreeFolks honored its fallen leader by creating the “Tom Spencer Million Trees Fund” and awarding him a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at its gala in 2023.

Tom adjusted to his new life after the stroke with stoicism and determination and continued to enjoy gardening and bird watching at his new home at the Auberge at Bee Cave. The wonderful staff there doted on Tom and his family and friends are grateful for their kindness and care. Tom will be interred at Austin Memorial Park in a small graveside ceremony. A celebration of Tom’s remarkable life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tom’s honor to TreeFolks, P.O. Box 1395, Del Valle, Texas 78617 or Interfaith Action of Central Texas at 5307 Airport Blvd., Suites B and C, Austin, Texas 78751.