Judith V. Tom

Judith Louise Vanhoof Tom, age 91, passed away peacefully at home on September 9, 2018, following a recurrence of ovarian cancer. She was born on February 2, 1927, in Flora, Louisiana, to Joseph August Vanhoof and Judith Roberts Vanhoof. She grew up in Humble Oil Company camps in Lytle, Whitsett, Campbellton and other South Texas communities where her father worked, attending local schools and graduating as valedictorian from Calallen High School at the age of 16. She received an academic scholarship to Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1947. Her first job was with Humble Oil and Refining Company, initially in Corpus Christi and later in Houston, Texas. She married Ralph H. Tom, her long-time sweetheart, on October 28, 1950. They initially met when Ralph was in first grade and she visited Tom’s School with her brother, James Vanhoof, at the age of 5. Ralph often said that she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen, and the smartest. They were married for 62 years until his death in 2013. Judith Louise was a devout Catholic throughout her life and worked as the Christ the King Church secretary for many years before transitioning to the Corpus Christi Diocese Chancery Office, and finally to the church office at St. Pius X. She retired at the age of 71. She was a member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas for over 50 years.

Judith Louise was a woman of ability, curiosity and determination. In the early days of computers, she took classes at Del Mar College to learn the new technology and used it throughout the rest of her life. She read voraciously, especially mystery novels, collecting over 2,000 books, all inventoried in an intricate database she designed. She completed the New York Times crossword puzzles in ink, and daily finished Level 5 Sudoku puzzles until she was over 90. She taught herself macramé and crochet. She never settled for less than her best and set an example of excellence for those who knew her.

Judith Louise was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and an infant son, Ralph H. Tom, Jr. She is survived by her brother, James Vanhoof of Arlington, Texas, her three daughters, Judy Anne Northrup and husband Mike of Fallon, Nevada, Susan Taylor and husband Weldon of Houston, Texas, and Nancy Wolf and husband Steve of Benbrook, Texas, her eight grandchildren, Eileen Fish and husband Bobby, Chris Northrup, Joseph Wolf and wife Heather, Melanie Wolf, Jon Wolf, Jack Taylor, Mary Taylor and James Wolf, her nine great-grandchildren, Shelby Neideigh, Clay Northrup, Mackenzie Fish, Rhyder Prodonovich, Tesla Wolf, Jaken Wolf, Lyla Wolf, Maximus Wolf and Benjamin Fish, and her niece, Judy Vanhoof.

There will be a visitation at 6:00 p.m., followed by a recitation of the rosary at 7:00 p.m., on Friday, September 21, 2018, at Seaside Funeral Home Chapel, 4357 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at Christ the King Catholic Church, 3423 Rojo, with interment following at Seaside Memorial Park.

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