Carl reported that Lovell received a call from Sandy Meinecke to let us know that Tom passed away on December 15th.
Carl expressed the following: "Tom was a big part of our chapter. He served our chapter as President and Vice President. He was active in all of our color guard ceremonies. Tom and I were in the Texas Army together and it was great being with him in all those events. I am personally saddened by his passing; he will be missed."
Obituary
Tommy Jacob Meinecke, 85, passed away on December 15, 2004, in Denton, Texas. Tommy was born on July 5, 1939, in La Grange, Texas to Victor & Juanita Charles Meinecke.
Tommy graduated from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio, San Antonio College with an AA Degree, The University of Texas at Austin with a BBA and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU with a Graduate Degree in banking.
He was Captain of the track team in high school and lettered as a half-miler and as a mile relay athlete in both high school and college. He was also a citywide basketball All Star in the San Antonio Recreation League in his senior year in high school.
He joined the Texas Air Guard at the age of 17, being honorably discharged after six years and being offered the rank of 2nd Lieutenant upon reenlistment.
Tommy moved to Houston in 1962, after graduation from the University of Texas with honors. He worked his way through college, being recruited by. Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, and chosen "Most Representative New Executive Trainee", featured in the AT&T magazine. After his first year, he was promoted to Manager of 14 telephone exchanges in Newport, Arkansas. In his distinguished career, he served in executive positions in the Telecommunications, the Oil & Gas & the Banking industries.
Tom had been Personnel Director for Adams Resources, and Senior Vice President & Human Relations Director for InterFirst Bank and Pacific Southwest Bank, both national billion-dollar banks in Houston.
He later opened and became President & CEO for Texas Commerce Bank-Champions Park, the President & CEO at Century National Bank, and later Managing Agent for the Resolution Trust Corp.
Tom later distinguished himself as a financial advisor for Aetna, Lincoln, and Metlife and received many awards and trips for his accomplishments. In 2008, he published his first book "The Last 880-Yard Runner", a memoir. This was followed with "Arms of God", an historical fiction in 2010 and by "Destiny at Calf Killer River" in 2013. All made recommended readings lists and book-signings.
He was certified as a Senior Professional in Hman Resources (SPHR). He was past president (1974) and lifetime honorary member of the Houston Personnel Association (HR Houston). He was designated a "Distinguished Toastmaster-Lifetime Certification.
Tom, a fifth generation Texan, was commissioned as a Colonel in the Texas Army by then Governor, George W. Bush in 1998 and an Admiral in the Texas Navy by Governor Rick Perry in 2011.
He was a member of The Sons of the American Revolution, and The Sons of the Republic of Texas-San Jacinto Chapter #1. Tom was a Master Mason and an Endowed member of the Holland Lodge, Temple #1, designated a 32nd Degree Scottish, Rite Mason, and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine of the Arabia Shrine Temple of Houston.
After moving to Sugarland in 1998, he became active in political and civic activities. He was a Republican Precinct Chairman and President of the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 of the Texas Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He and his wife moved to Robson Ranch in Denton, Texas in 2017. He was past Deacon of the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church and most recently, a member of the Justin Methodist Church in Justin, Texas.
Tom is survived by his loving wife, Sandy; his daughter, Angela Meinecke Kershner and hr husband, Joh; his son, Chris Meinecke and his wife, Kristi; his grandson, Brooks Meinecke; his grandson, Grant Dovidas; his granddaughter, Sidney Dovidas; his stepdaughter, Danica Jorgensen; extended family and a host of friends.
Service arrangements are pending at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in his memory to the Shriners Children's Hospitals: Shriners Children's Hospitals