Thomas Dwight Horsburgh, a 45 year resident of Blackwell, died peacefully at home with his family by his bedside April 9, 2011 in Oklahoma City. Born in Kiowa, Kansas March 30, 1919, Tom had recently celebrated his 92nd birthday surrounded with family and friends.

Tom was a first generation American born of his Scottish immigrant father, Thomas Darling and his mother May Andrew. The youngest of three children, he was raised in Clearwater, KS and excelled as an athlete lettering in football, basketball and baseball.

Although Tom received several athletic scholarship offers, he entered the Army in WWII and served as a military police officer in the First Calvary. He saw active duty in the Asian Pacific and received two Bronze Stars and a Battlefield Commission. He was honorably discharged as a Second Lieutenant.

Tom married Mary K. Koon in 1948 and began his career at Cities Service Gas Company. He worked for the company 36 years before retiring in Blackwell.

Tom enjoyed golf, gardening, his dogs, and was an avid sports fan. He was active in the Blackwell American Legion, VFW, and served as a Deacon and Elder at the First Presbyterian Church.

After the death of Mary K, his wife of 58 years, Tom moved to the Statesmen's Club Retirement Community in Oklahoma City where he made many new friends.

To his family, Tom was a doting, loving parent; to his golf partners, he was a duffer of the first magnitude; to his card game opponents, he was both wily and crafty and to both friends and strangers, he was first with a smile and a kind word.

To his Yankees, his Celtics and, especially, his Sooners, he was an ardent, forgiving fan.

Along with his wife and parents, Tom was preceded in death by his sister Vinita and his brother Alfred.

Tom is survived by daughter Cindy and husband John Heatly, daughter Dana Horsburgh, son Richard and wife Cindy, daughter Barbara and husband Bud Elder and his grandchildren Anne Heatly, Jack Heatly and Louie Elder.

Following a private burial, Tom's life will be celebrated at the First Presbyterian Church in Blackwell, Thursday April 14 at 11:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the First Presbyterian Church in Blackwell and the Blackwell Public Library. The family wishes to thank Tom's special caregivers and Crossroads Hospice for their care and support.

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." ~James D. Miles