Thomas L. Schappe, of Endwell, NY passed away on December 22, 2025 at the age of 87. He was predeceased by his wife of 60 years Margaret, his brother Don, and his parents Clarence and Louise Schappe. He is survived by his daughters Ellen (Rob) Schappe Jurado, Janet (John) Kleespies, and LeeAnn Schappe; grandchildren Daniel, Allison, and Liliana Jurado; Megan (Aaron) and Shannon (Jacob) Kleespies; and great-granddaughter Molly Jean. He is also survived by his brothers Mike (Anne) and Jim; sisters-in-law Jackie, Ethel, and Martha, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Tom was born and raised in St Peters MO, where his dad often took him and his brothers to a nearby airport to watch the planes take off. Tom graduated from St Louis University in 1959 and was recruited by IBM to work in upstate NY. He and a classmate packed up and drove east to pursue their destinies.
He soon met and married his wife and together they raised a family in Endwell. Working for Big Blue gave him opportunities to work abroad, including moving the family to both The Netherlands and West Germany for longer assignments. These experiences fostered a life-long love of travel, and after retirement in 1993 he and Meg had many adventures around the world. Tom was a member of the IBM Quarter Century Club, and he got a commemorative clock.
Tom was a parishioner and choir member at Church of the Holy Family in Endwell. He was an active volunteer in the community, along with his wife, working for the Election Board, ushering for events at BU, and teaching workshops through Senior Net. He also kept busy with a local computer club and participated in the restoration of a classic IBM 1401 computer. Keeping up with yard work and spending time with family filled out the rest of his days.
There will be no formal services. The family will hold a private gathering at their convenience.
