Thomas Badger IV, of Fairhope, Ala., passed away peacefully in the loving company of his children on September 30, 2021. The son of Col. Thomas Badger, Jr. (III) and Harriet Davis Badger, Tom was born June 14, 1939, in Henderson, North Carolina. He attended the Clark Street School and Henderson High School in Henderson, N.C. and graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. where, among numerous accomplishments, he was a member of the Summerall Guards (class of ’61). He was a teacher at the Porter Military Academy in Charleston until he took his oath of office into the U.S. Air Force in 1961. He trained as a navigator and served as a systems analyst. He was honorably discharged in 1965 and remained a reservist at the rank of Captain until 1975.
Tom married his dear wife Sally in 1965 and raised his young family in North Carolina while working for IBM. He later co-founded Computer Management Corporation which was sold to Broadway and Seymour. He was the General Manager of Maupin, Taylor and Ellis from 1987 until his retirement in 1993.
Tom was an elder at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, a Commissioner & Secretary of Scottish Heritage USA and Master of Ceremonies for many years at various Burns dinners throughout the state of North Carolina. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati and was twice President of the Kiwanis Club of Raleigh, the Sphinx Club of North Carolina, the Grandfather Mountain Clan Cameron and the St. Andrews Society of North Carolina.
Tom was a known artist, a master of Romanticism and Realism, and his paintings are cherished by those lucky enough to possess one. The Society of the Cincinnati holds his painting of George Washington. Tom was also a lighthearted illustrator who was known to capture moments in time with a quick wit. During church on Sundays, the sermon from his illustrated point of view would find its way into the offering plate while Tom sat quietly with a twinkle in his eye. His humorous Sphinx Club Christmas invitations remain framed on the walls of the Angus Barn in Raleigh.
Tom’s imagination and charisma left a permanent mark on those around him, including his children who, to this day, may believe that gnomes are real. He was at home in nature and with animals. He never met a horse that didn’t love him for the apple he carried in his pocket or a dog for the treats he lavished on them. His spirit and countless joyful traditions live on in his grandchildren’s homes and will be passed down to their children and generations after.
Tom was bold and kind, determined and charming. He was a pioneer who was well loved and respected by his community. He knew everyone and everyone thought the world of him. His business cards read “Intellectual Handyman”, a fact that no one who knew him would dispute. To be in Tom’s inner circle was to be in the presence of a favorite teacher of history, art, poetry, archaeology, geology, astronomy, literature. His children believe that most of all, Tom truly knew what it meant to live.
Tom is preceded in death by Sally (Runk) Badger, his beloved wife of 48 years and his sister Elizabeth (Badger) Wallace.
He is survived by his son Thomas Badger V, daughter Katherine Lumpkin (Scott) and grandchildren Cassidy, Dori, Nathan, Dyer, Lily, and Danny, one great-granddaughter Lilliana, sisters Nancy Towe and Judith Anderson, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service will be held November 6th, 2021, at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1704 Oberlin Rd, Raleigh, N.C., with a graveside service to follow at Oakwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a Veteran’s charity or simply plant a tree in remembrance of Tom.
Posted in: Cason Funeral Service
Posted on: 2021-10-04
Link to original obituary: https://www.casonfuneralservice.com/obituaries/Thomas-Badger-2/#!/Obituary