Thomas Butler Nesbitt, 80, of Astor, Fl passed away peacefully at 8:15 pm on Friday Nov 15, 2024, with his wife by his side. He was born in Marion, Indiana on Monday Dec 13th, 1943, to Howell Darius Nesbitt & Mary Virginia Butler Nesbitt. He married Marigene Drollinger, sweethearts since juniors in high school, on Aug 5, 1967. They have been married for 57 years.
Tom graduated from Mississinewa High School. He served in the U.S. Army for 2 years. His last year served was in Vietnam as a Combat Medic and was honorably discharged. He completed a 4-year union apprenticeship program in the IBEW to become a Journeyman Electrician in Local #873. He worked as an electrician in the Kokomo area and all over including the Alaska Pipeline, New York, Florida and Louisiana. His last 25 years as General Foreman was with Moorehead Electric at Marion General Hospital, retiring Dec 30, 2005.
He was a member of IBEW for 50+ years and was a Master Mason at Jonesboro Lodge #109 for 44 years. He loved fishing, (always saying, “we’ll leave, just one more cast”), woodworking – the last few years making everyone a push pull. He followed NASCAR, loved car shows, and with a friend, restored a ’61 Chevy Impala to perfection. He moved to Florida in October 2015 and remodeled the entire home with the help of friends, family and “how to” books from Home Depot.
Tom never met a stranger, loved telling jokes and playing pranks. He was smart, talented, loved to entertain and loved sharing his time with others. He always carried a harmonica in his pocket and would pull it out and play unexpectedly.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Dr. Wm. Nesbitt and John Peter Nesbitt; mother and father-in-law, Jasper & Josephine Drollinger; sisters-in-law, Janess Leming and Sally Horton; brothers-in-law, Dr. Wm. Parke, Edwin Cole, David Drollinger, Wm. Drollinger, Heniger Horton and Ronald Leming.
He is survived by his wife, Marigene; son, Bradley P. Nesbitt; twin sister, Nancy Nesbitt Cole; sister, Molly Nesbitt Parke; sisters-in-law, Cyndi Nesbitt, Martha Nesbitt, Jennie Drollinger, and Lois Drollinger. Tom was blessed with a large number of nieces and nephews, whom he loved.
The family will receive visitors from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024, which will conclude with a Masonic Rites service at 6:45 p.m. at Needham-Storey Wampner Funeral & Cremation Service, Storey Chapel 400 E. Main St., Gas City IN.
The family will also receive visitors 1 hour prior to the celebration of life that will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2024, at the funeral home. The family would like to invite anyone who would like to share a memory to do so at the celebration of life. Interment and military service will follow at Riverside Cemetery.