Thomas Buttrill Leary passed away peacefully on December 30, 2020, in Midland, Texas. Burial will be at Marathon Cemetery.
Tom was born on September 18, 1925, on the Buttrill Ranch in Brewster County, Texas, to the late Francis Thomas and Louanna Buttrill Leary. After graduating from San Angelo Central High School, he attended The University of Texas in Austin. Tom then enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Europe in 1944. He served in Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, the 6th Armored Division, and the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Tom was critically wounded in battle on January 2, 1945, in The Battle of the Bulge. He was evacuated to England and eventually back to Texas in April 1945. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (EAME) ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars for campaigns in Northern France and Belgium-Luxembourg.
Upon his discharge and return to San Angelo, Tom began work for the Veterans Administration, a job he would continue for the next 41 years as County Service Officer for Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties. As a Champion of Veterans rights, he was instrumental in the passing of legislation that became known as the “Leary Bill”, beneficial to enlisted men who received battlefield commissions.
Tom met and married Mary Anne Russell on April 30, 1949, in San Angelo. The couple moved back to the Buttrill Ranch in 1954 with sons Mike, Pat, and Tim. A fourth son, Kevin was born in 1963. There Tom and his wife ranched and reared their family for the next 45 years, before moving to Midland. He loved West Texas ranch life. Tom and his wife especially enjoyed providing lodging for geology students, hunters, and family visitors.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Mary Anne Russell Leary; and his grandparents, Lucius Featherstone Buttrill and Margaret Buttrill.
Survivors include his sons: Mike Leary and his wife, Sheila, of Austin, Pat Leary and his wife, Judy, of Granbury, Tim Leary and his wife, Rexanne, of Marathon, Kevin Leary and his wife, Salem, of Midland; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Jim Leary and his family, of Lubbock, TX; other relatives and many friends. B
Tom was born on September 18, 1925, on the Buttrill Ranch in Brewster County, Texas, to the late Francis Thomas and Louanna Buttrill Leary. After graduating from San Angelo Central High School, he attended The University of Texas in Austin. Tom then enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Europe in 1944. He served in Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, the 6th Armored Division, and the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Tom was critically wounded in battle on January 2, 1945, in The Battle of the Bulge. He was evacuated to England and eventually back to Texas in April 1945. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (EAME) ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars for campaigns in Northern France and Belgium-Luxembourg.
Upon his discharge and return to San Angelo, Tom began work for the Veterans Administration, a job he would continue for the next 41 years as County Service Officer for Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties. As a Champion of Veterans rights, he was instrumental in the passing of legislation that became known as the “Leary Bill”, beneficial to enlisted men who received battlefield commissions.
Tom met and married Mary Anne Russell on April 30, 1949, in San Angelo. The couple moved back to the Buttrill Ranch in 1954 with sons Mike, Pat, and Tim. A fourth son, Kevin was born in 1963. There Tom and his wife ranched and reared their family for the next 45 years, before moving to Midland. He loved West Texas ranch life. Tom and his wife especially enjoyed providing lodging for geology students, hunters, and family visitors.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Mary Anne Russell Leary; and his grandparents, Lucius Featherstone Buttrill and Margaret Buttrill.
Survivors include his sons: Mike Leary and his wife, Sheila, of Austin, Pat Leary and his wife, Judy, of Granbury, Tim Leary and his wife, Rexanne, of Marathon, Kevin Leary and his wife, Salem, of Midland; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Jim Leary and his family, of Lubbock, TX; other relatives and many friends. B
Thomas Buttrill Leary passed away peacefully on December 30, 2020, in Midland, Texas. Burial will be at Marathon Cemetery.
Tom was born on September 18, 1925, on the Buttrill Ranch in Brewster County, Texas, to the late Francis Thomas and Louanna Buttrill Leary. After graduating from San Angelo Central High School, he attended The University of Texas in Austin. Tom then enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Europe in 1944. He served in Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, the 6th Armored Division, and the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Tom was critically wounded in battle on January 2, 1945, in The Battle of the Bulge. He was evacuated to England and eventually back to Texas in April 1945. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (EAME) ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars for campaigns in Northern France and Belgium-Luxembourg.
Upon his discharge and return to San Angelo, Tom began work for the Veterans Administration, a job he would continue for the next 41 years as County Service Officer for Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties. As a Champion of Veterans rights, he was instrumental in the passing of legislation that became known as the “Leary Bill”, beneficial to enlisted men who received battlefield commissions.
Tom met and married Mary Anne Russell on April 30, 1949, in San Angelo. The couple moved back to the Buttrill Ranch in 1954 with sons Mike, Pat, and Tim. A fourth son, Kevin was born in 1963. There Tom and his wife ranched and reared their family for the next 45 years, before moving to Midland. He loved West Texas ranch life. Tom and his wife especially enjoyed providing lodging for geology students, hunters, and family visitors.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Mary Anne Russell Leary; and his grandparents, Lucius Featherstone Buttrill and Margaret Buttrill.
Survivors include his sons: Mike Leary and his wife, Sheila, of Austin, Pat Leary and his wife, Judy, of Granbury, Tim Leary and his wife, Rexanne, of Marathon, Kevin Leary and his wife, Salem, of Midland; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Jim Leary and his family, of Lubbock, TX; other relatives and many friends. B
Tom was born on September 18, 1925, on the Buttrill Ranch in Brewster County, Texas, to the late Francis Thomas and Louanna Buttrill Leary. After graduating from San Angelo Central High School, he attended The University of Texas in Austin. Tom then enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Europe in 1944. He served in Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army, the 6th Armored Division, and the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion.
Tom was critically wounded in battle on January 2, 1945, in The Battle of the Bulge. He was evacuated to England and eventually back to Texas in April 1945. His awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (EAME) ribbon with 2 bronze battle stars for campaigns in Northern France and Belgium-Luxembourg.
Upon his discharge and return to San Angelo, Tom began work for the Veterans Administration, a job he would continue for the next 41 years as County Service Officer for Brewster and Jeff Davis Counties. As a Champion of Veterans rights, he was instrumental in the passing of legislation that became known as the “Leary Bill”, beneficial to enlisted men who received battlefield commissions.
Tom met and married Mary Anne Russell on April 30, 1949, in San Angelo. The couple moved back to the Buttrill Ranch in 1954 with sons Mike, Pat, and Tim. A fourth son, Kevin was born in 1963. There Tom and his wife ranched and reared their family for the next 45 years, before moving to Midland. He loved West Texas ranch life. Tom and his wife especially enjoyed providing lodging for geology students, hunters, and family visitors.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Mary Anne Russell Leary; and his grandparents, Lucius Featherstone Buttrill and Margaret Buttrill.
Survivors include his sons: Mike Leary and his wife, Sheila, of Austin, Pat Leary and his wife, Judy, of Granbury, Tim Leary and his wife, Rexanne, of Marathon, Kevin Leary and his wife, Salem, of Midland; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Jim Leary and his family, of Lubbock, TX; other relatives and many friends. B
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
