Thomas “Tom” Howard Ledbetter, 81, passed away December 17, 2020, from complications due to Covid-19. He is survived by his cherished wife and best friend of 56 years, Susanne, and their three children, Catherine McGee, Drew Ledbetter (Darla), and Craig Ledbetter (Cameron), and seven grandchildren, Zoe McGee, Julian and Isabella Ledbetter, Dylan and Chelsey Hussein, and Abigail and Jacob Ledbetter. Tom will be dearly missed by his loving sisters, Betty Hobbs and Jackie Phillips. Tom was preceded in death by his beloved son, James Bradley Ledbetter, his parents Wade and Carrie Ledbetter, sisters Audrey May and Bobbie Grimes, and brothers Wade Ledbetter, Jr. (Bud), Edward Ledbetter and Wayles Ledbetter.
A native of the south, Tom was born in a hospital in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 4, 1939, to Wade and Carrie (nee Doss) Ledbetter. He was the only child of eight who was not born at home.
As a sophomore in high school at age 15, Tom moved with his parents and his sister Betty from Alabama to Whiting, Indiana, where he lived until he finished high school. Whiting was a bucolic little town of approximately 12,000 citizens at that time, and his high school class contained less than 100 students. Tom often talked of how he loved that he and his friends could walk everywhere in Whiting; uptown, to the beaches of Lake Michigan, to school, and best of all, to the Saturday and Sunday night dances which were much enjoyed, providing a wonderful and safe place for he and his friends to dance and spend time together.
One month after graduation; however, Tom’s eagerness to explore the world led him to join the United States Marine Corps, serving for two years in San Diego, California, as a Lance Corporal driving trucks on the base. Upon his discharge in 1959, Tom worked full-time putting himself through school to earn both a BS and an MBA degree from Indiana University. Shortly thereafter, he became a licensed CPA and later earned his CFP license as a Certified Financial Planner. His long and varied career includes four years as a CPA with KPMG in Chicago, followed by four years as an accountant serving on the personal staff of multi-millionaire W. Clement Stone in Chicago. From 1974 until he retired in 2009, Tom enjoyed being a self-employed entrepreneur, dabbling into different businesses including a cookie store and a mailbox store. Most notably, he was the founder of Oklahoma City-based Tom’s Formalwear, as well as the proprietor of a combined CPA and financial planning practice which he conducted for 24 years.
Tom’s proudest accomplishment was that of his service in the Rotary Club of South Oklahoma City, where he served for over 30 years and held each chair at least once, including the office of President in 1998-99. As President, he oversaw various committees, notably one that ushered in the first female Rotary Club member of that chapter, and another that raised over $7,500 for matching grants which were used to assist third world countries. In addition, he spoke often of his delight at the accomplishments of his wife and children, all of whom earned degrees from the University of Oklahoma. On a single, momentous day in 1992, three of those degrees were bestowed at once!
Memorial donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders at donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.
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