Deacon Tom was raised in rural Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University and Iowa State University. While attending ISU he met Janice Johnson. They were married right after his graduation from ISU and immediately moved to Lexington, Ky, where he had accepted a position on the faculty of the Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky. It was during their 11 year stay in Lexington that their three children, Patti, Christ and Pam were born.   In 1978 the family moved to Stillwater after Tom accepted a position with OSU. They became members of St Johns upon their arrival and have been members ever since. Deacon Tom was ordained to the diaconate in 1997 and retired from OSU in January of 2001.

  Jan has been a constant volunteer in the Stillwater community. She has volunteered with the Girl Scouts, St John Women's Guild, Mobile Meals, Stillwater Medical Center, Hospice Through Karmen Korner, Lahoma, and many activities connected with St John's. She enjoys reading, cooking, quilting, and their two granchildren, Katrina and Daniel.

  Deacon Tom, in addition to his activities at St. John's, is the Director of Diaconate Formation for the Tulsa Diocese, a member of the Board of Directors of the Stillwater Community Health Center and the Stillwater Ministerial Alliance. He enjoys fishing, reading and jogging.

  Together they enjoy travel, especially with their camper, and have visited every state in the US and several other countries. They look forward to extended vacations in the summer that afford them a leisurely opportunity to see family, friends and this great country we have been blessed with.