Thomas William Floyd
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Thomas William Floyd, 88, Charleston, passed away Thursday, September 16, 2010, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
In accordance with his wishes and those of his family, his body will be cremated. A time of visitation for family and friends will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010, at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston. Memorial Services honoring and celebrating his life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 20, 2010, at the First Presbyterian Church, 311 Seventh St., Charleston, with the Rev. Jan Hawkins and the Rev. Dr. Thomas Hawkins officiating. Interment will be in the Huffman Cemetery located near Bismarck. It is requested that memorials in his honor be made to the First Presbyterian Church or to the Alzheimer's Association. Gifts may be left on the memorial table at the visitation or services or may be mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, Ill. 61920.
Tom was born May 10, 1922, in Alvin, a son of the late Thomas Carl and Ruth Odessa (Grider) Floyd. He married Margaret Elizabeth Powell on June 12, 1948, in Flora, and for 62 years they have shared a loving bond of friendship and marriage. In addition to Margaret he is survived by four children, Edith Floyd of Charleston, Ruth Boardman and husband Mark of St. Joseph, Julia Kirby and husband Grant of Gambrills, Md., John Floyd and wife Emily of Charleston; 10 grandchildren, Ryan Coffey and special friend Shay Baggett of Charleston, Andrew Coffey of Mattoon, Amy Coffey and special friend Brad Heiny of Indianapolis, Ind., Steven Kirby of Annapolis, Md., Katlyn Kirby and Brenna Kirby, both of Alexandria, Va., Mackenzie Kirby of Gambrills, Joshua Meers, Jacob Floyd and Emma Floyd, all of Charleston; and several nieces and nephews and their families. In addition to his parents Tom was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruby Pearl Floyd and Marjorie Mae Piersall; and a brother, Kenneth Carl Floyd.
Tom was a 1941 graduate of Bismarck High School and in 1942 enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He proudly served his country during World War II as a tail gunner with the 492nd Bomb Group. Following his military discharge he attended Southern Illinois University where he received his bachelor's degree in geography in 1949 and his masters in education degree in 1950. He continued his schooling at the University of Illinois, where he earned a doctorate in education in 1966. From 1950 through 1954 Tom taught the intermediate grades in the public schools of Elmwood Park and Hoopeston. From 1954 to 1967 he taught in the laboratory schools of Southern Illinois University and Illinois State University. In 1967 he accepted a position at Eastern Illinois University teaching in the Elementary and Junior High Education Department until his retirement in 1984.
Following his retirement he taught a semester at the Kaohsiung Teachers College in Taiwan.
Tom has been a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston since 1967 and has actively served as an elder. He was also a Chapter Advisor of Kappa Delta Pi, an educational honorary society located on the EIU campus, as well as a member of the EIU Annuitants Association and a lifetime member of the National Education Association. Tom was also a life member of the Charleston VFW Paul McVey Post 1592.
Tom loved to travel and wanted to see the world with Margaret by his side. Together they visited Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean, traveled through the Panama Canal and enjoyed wintering in Sarasota, Fla., with their fellow snowbird friends. Tom also enjoyed the outdoors and such hobbies as fishing, hunting and gardening; and was also known to be a marvelous cook.
Tom was a devoted teacher whose students liked and respected him and enjoyed spending time with him and his family at their rural Charleston home. He was a dedicated and loving husband, father and grandfather as well and will be fondly remembered by his students, his family, his colleagues and friends.