Thomas Terpening

My beloved husband, Thomas B. Terpening, Sr., P.E., "Tom" of Tallahassee, Florida, passed away in Blountstown, Florida on March 13, 2012. He had been ill for almost a year.

Tom was born in Jacksonville, Florida on 8/22/30 to Frank and Zereda Terpening. He spent over 40 years in the Tampa Bay area before retiring to his Lake Talquin home near Tallahassee in 1999. After his family, his favorite past times were hunting, fishing, gardening, and MOST OF ALL---GATOR FOOTBALL. He was a 50 year supporter of Gator Boosters, Inc., and a season ticket holder all those many years. For many years he never missed a game. Tom was a 1953 graduate of UF in Civil Engineering and spent his career as a well known and highly respected civil engineer and contractor, mostly involved in road building. He was a KA in college, and served as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Korea.

Tom is survived by his wife, Lynn; his son, Tom Jr., (Sandra) of Pt. St. Lucie, FL.; his daughter, Pamela Burt of Tampa, FL; his grandson, Capt. Thomas B. Terpening III., now serving in Germany after a year in Afghanistan; his granddaughter, Amy Terpening (16); his step-grandson, Warren Forsythe of Mascotte, FL.; nephew, James P. "Butch" Terpening, (Sherry) of Pt. St. Lucie, FL; and two nieces, Lynn Shad and Christy Sellers, (Danny) of Jacksonville, FL.

He was predeceased by his only sibling, his brother James P. Terpening of Jacksonville.

Tom was a true southern gentleman and had a gentle soul. He always treated others with great respect and was a mentor to many young aspiring engineers. He lived a wonderful, full life. After college and serving in the Army he began a long and storied career. Among his many professional achievements were in 1961 he became Director of the Florida State Turnpike Authority where he was responsible for the design of the turnpike extension from Ft. Pierce to Wildwood. He then spent from 1962 to 1974 with J.E. Greiner Company where he worked his way up to senior vice president. Then he spent a number of years in private practice. He was owner and operator of a rock mine in Lecanto, FL. in the 1970's. In the late 1970's he spent time in Quito, Ecuador with Housel & Terpening as project engineer on the Pan American Highway. In 1988 he moved to Orlando to become involved with Hubbard Construction Company and their projects at Disney and Universal. He returned to Tampa in 1991 joining HDR Construction Control Corporation on various projects until his retirement in 1999. Tom was a past member of the Board of Palma Ceia United Methodist Church as well as a Deacon, and Sunday school teacher. Partial list of major projects with which he was affiliated over the years: Jacksonville Expressway; Florida State Turnpike Projects; Everglades Expressway ("Alligator Alley"); Interstate 95 Interchange in Miami; Beeline Expressway Extension in Orlando; Tampa & Pinellas County Expressway Authority Projects; Construction projects at Disney World and Universal Studios; Demolition of original Sunshine Skyway Bridge; Polk County Parkway, and Veterans Expressway. He spent a few years after retirement serving on Disputes Review Boards in various parts of the state. He was the Florida Engineering Society's Engineer of the Year for Florida in 1973; President of the Florida State Board of Engineer Examiners in 1972 among many other engineering associations.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday March 17, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Lake Talquin Baptist Church (850/576-4641). Family and close friends are invited to our home after the service. In lieu of flowers, please send any memorial gifts to the Church at 21335 Blountstown Highway, Tallahassee, FL 32310, or Emerald Coast Hospice, 4374 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL 32446.

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee, Florida.

Published in Tallahassee Democrat from March 15 to March 17, 2012 Follow this Obituary

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