Date of Birth
Nov 08,1942
Date of Death
Nov 30,2014
Tom Spalding, age 72, of Huntley, formerly of Elburn, passed away, surrounded by the love and prayers of his family on November 30, 2014 after a long courageous battle with cancer. He was born November 8, 1942 in Decatur, IL, the son of Walter Thomas Sr. and Grace Eleanor (Hilvity) Spalding. Tom grew up in Moweaqua, IL, and attended local schools. After graduating from Moweaqua High School in 1960, Tom attended Illinois State Teaching College. Later he would receive a Masters Degree in Math and Science from I.I.T. in 1968. Tom became a teacher at Mooseheart, teaching alongside his own high school football coach. In 1965 he began teaching at Kaneland High School where his students learned to study and Tom learned how to fall in love. Georgia Proctor, who worked in the office, found in Tom a person she could love for a lifetime, although Tom always said that he got her to say yes before Georgia could change her mind!. They were united in marriage on June 12, 1966, in Elburn. The next 44 years were filled with laughter, love and a growing family before continuing that tradition when they moved to Huntley in 2012. Tom left his teaching position at Kaneland to obtain a Masters Degree, later finding work at IBM. After twenty-five years, Tom left as a Senior Systems Engineer to work at Great Lakes Aqua Store in St. Charles. Tom was proud lifetime member of the The Boy Scouts of America. He rose through the ranks, eventually teaching and leading both Batavia and Elburn Troops for twenty-five years. Tom was a bicycle enthusiast who also loved to travel. Whether it was backpacking, biking, driving , or flying, every destination was an adventure, but his favorite were his trips to the Northwest where the mountains called his name. In later years, Tom and Georgia brought along his grandchildren to share in Mother Nature’s wonder. He loved his family dearly, but his three granddaughters, and most recently a great-granddaughter, had him wrapped around their little fingers. There was nothing that Tom wouldn\\\’t do for his "girls". He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Georgia;Two children: Stephanie (Jeffrey) Miller and Joel (Cindy) Spalding;Three granddaughters: Gabby Miller, Icy Miller and Nicole (Dave) Winston and their daughter Lola;Three siblings: Stephan (Carol) Spalding, Suzy (Jerry) Collins and Linda (Ed) Shaw;Brother-in-law, Dave and Karen Proctor, Sister-in-law, Denise Hamblen;Many nieces, nephews and a family of friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Walter Sr. and Grace Spalding. Visitation will be from 1-4 p.m., with a funeral service to follow, on Saturday, December 13, 2014, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL. Private family burial will follow cremation at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent in Tom’s name to a charity of your choice. Tributes may be forwarded to www.conleycare.com.