Tom Leon Sawyer Jr., 79, of Little Swan Lake passed away Saturday March 23, 2024, at 3:33p.m. at Seminary Manor in Galesburg. He was born Tuesday, September 26, 1944, in Galesburg, the son of Tom Sawyer Sr. and Clara Irene (Schisler) Sawyer. He married Linda (Menely) Becker on August 30, 1983.
He is survived by one daughter; Tommie (Chad) Lydic of Little Swan Lake; one daughter-in-law, Jamie Becker of Macomb, one granddaughter Carly Becker of Albuquerque, NM, two brothers; Richard (Rita) Sawyer of Cameron, Rodney (Nancy) Sawyer of Putnam; three sisters, Cindy Morris Tinker of Peoria, Sharon (Mark) Morris Harmon of Peoria, and Joyce (Rudy) Morris Carlson of Brimfield. He is also survived by two granddogs, Klaus and Hilde, and his beloved dog, Josie.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Linda, and one son, Brad Becker.
Tom was a graduate of Roseville High School. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1964. He went to Vietnam on March 10, 1965. He was in the infantry and was a tunnel rat. He was in Vietnam for six months. He then returned home for six months and then went back to Vietnam in 1966 where he was made Sergeant. There he was a squad leader for nine months. He was able to return home in 1967. Tom then went to Barber College and then later was a United States Postal worker in Abingdon. He had a barber shop in Roseville where he cut hair for 47 years.
Tom liked to go hunting and fishing. During deer season he went to “deer camp” at his brother Rick’s house. He also had “squirrel camp” at his friend, Dan Boone’s, timber which Linda jokingly referred to as “drunk fest.” He also spent many years fishing on Sunday mornings with his friend, Kenny Jennings, where they had a competition to see who could win the “dirty dollar.” Most of all, he loved living at Little Swan Lake and going on boat rides. He used to say “if I had a dollar for every time I went around the lake, I’d be a millionaire.” He had many friends and loved having a good time and was always the life of the party. Tom liked watching sports but most of all he was an avid follower of the Chicago Bears. He held Bears parties every Sunday at his house where he called his basement “Soldier Field.” Tom loved the wildlife at the lake and enjoyed watching the Bald Eagles. He knew how to appreciate the beauty of the sky and said to “always look at the sky because it will never be that way again.”
A celebration of life will be held at Tom’s house, 34 Shady Lane, Avon, IL, on Saturday June 15th, 2024 at 1:00pm. Moore Memorial Home, Roseville, is handling the arrangements. For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit our website at www.moorememorial.com
