Thomas Marvin Black, 79, of Greenfield, passed away Monday, March 15, 2015, at Hancock Regional Hospice. He was born July 27, 1935, on the land originally farmed by his great-grandfather, where Tom lived most of his life and where some of his ashes will return.
Tom Black had a country boy’s love of horses, Angus cattle, dogs and straight talking. He worked summers on the farm, and after graduating from New Palestine High School in 1953, he began work at the age of 18 as a cattle salesman for Producers Marketing Association in Indianapolis, spending his career with the same company through its many changes until he retired.
He met the former Isabelle Lee Brewer through a friend, who happened to be her brother, and they were married Thanksgiving Day 1959. Tom transferred to the Terre Haute, Indiana, office soon after.
He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 50 years, Isabelle; his parents, George and Careta Black; and his sister, Doris Black Allen.
Tom and Isabelle lived in Rosedale, Ind., while he managed the Terre Haute stockyards, and it was there their three children were born: Virginia of South Bend,Thomas (Carolyn) of New Palestine, and Christopher of Orlando. After Tom retired, he had time to spend with his six grandchildren (and finally changed his first diaper) Austin Black, Alex Black, Sarah Black, Anthony Hauguel, Elizabeth Black and Catherine Black.
After his father died, Tom asked for a transfer back to Indianapolis, in 1974, to keep the farm in the family. Dad was proud when, just recently, Indiana’s lieutenant governor honored the Black family with an Indiana Hoosier Homestead Sesquicentennial Award in the Statehouse, for keeping a farm in the same family for 150 years.
He was a 56-year member of Hancock Lodge No. 101, where his father was a member and his son Tom is a past master.
Dad did not easily suffer fools, cheaters or those he regarded as lazy. He worked hard and was proud of sending his three children to Purdue University. He believed in doing the right thing, always. If you were Tom’s friend, you were friends for life, as those left from his New Pal class, who still gather regularly, can attest.
After Isabelle died, Tom became reacquainted with and later married a high school friend, Sue Cain Mangold, on July 4, 2012. She survives. He and his family realized that he had been lucky in love in his life, not once, but twice.
He attended Shiloh Christian Church with Sue, and as he said, “Lightning didn’t even strike or anything."
A service honoring his life will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday at Shiloh Christian Church, at the corner of 500 E. and 500 S., Greenfield. A meal will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Indiana Masonic Home Foundation, P.O. Box 44210, Indianapolis, IN, 46244.
Online condolences may be shared at www.stillingerfamily.com.
