Thomas W. Pardue

Thomas Wood Pardue, 90, died Wednesday, December 5, 2012, in Rosemont/Emeritus Assisted Living Facility of Clear Lake City, Texas, after a lengthy struggle with Parkinson's disease. He was a long time resident of Nassau Bay.

Thomas was born in Wilson, Oklahoma, March 14, 1922, to Garland V. and Ira Wood Pardue. With his family, he moved to Lubbock, Texas in 1928, where he attended school and graduated from Lubbock High School in 1940.

He went on to attend Texas Tech, where he met the love of his life, the lady who would become his wife of almost 72 years, Frances Ballow of Levelland, Texas. They were married on January 25, 1941. Shortly after their marriage, Thomas enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he became a pilot in the 406th Bombing Squadron. He was stationed in Herrington, England, from where he and his crew flew 31 missions.

After VE Day in May, 1945, he sailed back to the U.S. on the Queen Mary, and he moved his, by then, young family back to Lubbock where he completed his education, graduating with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University).

Upon graduation, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to begin a long career in the oil and chemicals industry, a career which would take him and his family to many different oil fields in many different cities, states, and countries. The travel demanded by his job led him to develop a love of travel and a desire and a curiosity to explore the world. He and Frances lived in Belgium, Japan, and Iran, and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East, Japan, South America, and through almost all of the fifty United States. Over the course of time, Thomas became the unofficial family tour guide and cruise director, organizing and leading travel adventures for both immediate and extended family members.

Thomas also had a great love for his home and family. He and Frances loved spending time with their grandchildren and great grand-children, and were always there to guide, teach, entertain and to lend a hand when necessary.

Thomas loved to play golf; he was an accomplished bridge and duplicate bridge player; he was an avid photographer.

Throughout a career that demanded lots of moves and lots of change, one constant was the Methodist Church. Wherever Thomas and his family lived, one of the first things he did was transfer his church membership and become an active participant in Sunday School, as a leader or a teacher; he actively served with the Methodist Men. For the past 37 years, he was a member of the Clear Lake United Methodist Church.

Thomas is survived by his wife of almost 72 years, Frances; children, Frances and Jeff Hickman of Clear Lake, Jackie and Jake Montoya of Lubbock, and Thomas Pardue of Clear Lake; grandchildren Ken McKissick, Brian Cain, Barry Cain, Paige Pardue Smith, Adrienne Pardue Seal, Meredith Pardue, Laine Pardue, and T.P. Pardue; six great-grandchildren; sisters in law Diana Pardue of Houston and Charlotte Camp of Argyle, Texas, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Winona Sparkman, and brothers G.V., Jr., and Robert.

Funeral services will be held at Clear Lake United Methodist Church in Clear Lake, Texas, on Saturday, December 8, 2012. Burial will follow at Forest Park East Cemetery, 21620 Gulf Freeway. The family will receive visitors at the Forest Park East Funeral Home on Friday, December 7, 2012, from 6-8 p.m.

The family would like to express its deep gratitude to the competent and caring staff of the Rosemont/Emeritus Assisted Living Facility for the skill, compassion, and respect they showed in caring for Mr. Pardue. They also express gratitude to the nurses and staff of Compassionate Care Hospice Services for their help during this time.