Edmund Theodore Tom, 83, died on May 9, 2019. He was born to Ted and Minnie Lee Tom on Sept. 10, 1935, and was raised in Campbellton, graduating from Pleasanton High School in 1953. After attending Texas A&M he worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, traveling from the Rio Grande Valley to California to the southeast states.
Tom married Bettye Montgomery and to this union were born two children, Bart Andrew and Robin Renee. When the union dissolved, Tom took over his portion of the ranch to begin his career in ranching. In 1966, he met his love of 53 years, Margie Hobrecht. They had two children, Charlotte Lee and Justin Patrick (J. Pat).
In 1969, Tom began breeding Brahman cattle with Simmental, which was the beginning of the Simbrah breed. In 1972, he and other Atascosa cattlemen formed the Atascosa County Cattlemen’s Association where he served as the first president. He was elected to the Texas Simmental Association Board and served as its president from 1977 to 1979. He was elected to the American Simmental Association board and held several offices there, including chairman of the board in 1986.
Tom was involved in many community and civic organizations in Atascosa County including lifelong member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church; Campbellton Community Hall; McCoy Water Board; and the Pleasanton School Board. He was presented with several awards from the Atascosa County Soil & Water Conservation District for his efforts in land conservation. In his later years, Tom and his son, J. Pat, bought a ranch in Hebbronville, where he enjoyed the peace and quiet of the ranch along with family gatherings.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Bart Andrew Tom, sister Peggy Ree White, and nephew James Michael White.
Tom is survived by his wife, Margaret “Margie” Tom, son J. Pat (Karyn) Tom, daughters Robin Tom Bukowski and Charlotte Lee Tom, and four grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, or a charity of choice.
Published in the July 2019 Issue of The Cattleman Magazine