Tom Hornbaker, 76, of Lawrence, passed away on Friday, November 22, 2024 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, surrounded by his family.
He was born November 11, 1948, in Lawrence, the son of Allison and Arlabel Hornbaker. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1966 and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas in 1973 and 1975. Tom served in the National Guard and was honorably discharged in 1977.
Tom spent the majority of his career with The World Company, from which he retired in 2022 after 28 years of service. He served in a number of volunteer roles in a variety of philanthropic organizations, including Junior Achievement, the Lawrence Schools Foundation board, as treasurer at First Baptist Church, and as treasurer and board member of the Lawrence City Band. He was a talented musician, playing the clarinet and saxophone in the Overland Park City Band, Lawrence City Band, KU’s University Band, New Horizons band, and in the Foundation Follies. He was a founding member of the JazzHawks, treasurer of the Crossroads band, and a board member of the Free State Brass Band. In addition to his many musical endeavors, Tom enjoyed traveling, woodworking, cheering on the KU Jayhawks, and “putzing around the yard.”
Tom married Shelly Buxton on February 19, 1983, in Prairie Village, Kansas. They moved to Lawrence in 1994, where she still resides. Other survivors include sisters Ann Feinberg and Jean Winters, daughter Jaime Dupy (Matt Dupy), daughter Jennifer Hornbaker (Justin Krajci), son Alan Hornbaker, and grandchildren Hailey and Adam Dupy.
A memorial service will be held in celebration of Tom’s life on Saturday, November 30 at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church West Campus, 867 Highway 40, in Lawrence.
Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Tom to the Lawrence City Band via the Douglas County Community Foundation, 900 Massachusetts Street, Suite 406, Lawrence, KS 66044; or First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Tom, you were the best boss I ever had. Working with you at the World Company, I knew you always had my back and you “slayed the “management dragons” for me on more than one occasion. You were there ‘backstage’ –only with my parents–when I received a state HR award years ago. It meant the world to me. You will be greatly missed. Remembering you fondly always, Kelly
I will always remember Tom and Shelly fondly. Tom was a good friend and fellow musician. We both played clarinet in the Lawrence High School Band . We both continued playing beyond High School and remained friends. I will miss him a lot.
I wish we would have had the opportunity to spend more time together through the years , but I have many warm memories of his presence.
He was always gracious and genuinely attempted to make people at ease.
He and Shelly always opened their home for friends and family for a brief visit or an overnight stay. Tom was a true renaissance man and I enjoyed our conversations and he took pride in showing me his various woodworking projects and his “ hands on” yard efforts. They shared about their kids and their lives as they grew up. I am sure he will be greeted with joy as he enters into heaven and is reunited with his many loved ones.
Tom’s life, like his music, was full of joy, and he shared it generously. At his Celebration of Life, we remembered his favorite George Gershwin quote, “Life is a lot like jazz, it’s best if you improvise.” In the years that we played together in New Horizons and Jazzhawks, Tom taught me that to enjoy playing music, you had to look ahead and anticipate what’s coming. “The band keeps playing, and you can’t go back. So when you get lost, look for when you can come back in.” I’ll miss him as a stand partner, and as a friend. I’ve recorded everything we played, and I’m listening to his sax solos now that I’m playing his part. But I know he’d say, “Don’t listen to these, play your own thing. It’s best if you improvise.” Thanks, Tom…for everything.
Athletic and sensitive. A scholar who loved working with his hands. A successful business executive and a talented musician. Responsible and dependable while also fun loving and often the life of the party. Disciplined, sometimes a taskmaster, but also thoughtful and kind. Tom was a standup guy, there for anyone who needed him. His life was a gift to all of us who loved him, and his memory will forever be a blessing to each one of us.
My sincere sympathies to all of Tom’s family. Our years with the Lawrence Schools Foundation were very important to me, and Tom graciously lent his time, talents and resources to our efforts. He was a good, kind man.
Tom was one of my favorite co-workers at Raney Hillcrest Drug (high school years). I remember riding around Lawrence in his little red foreign car. Fond memories of a fun, genuinely nice person.
And don’t forget Tom was one of the smartest and well liked kids in our class. He always had that terrific smile and could shoot pool like Willie Musconi. Heaven will be an even better and fun place with Tom.
As cousins Tom and I were born one month apart. His family lived in Kansas and ours in California. As children our families would get together once a year, usually in Hutchinson at our grandparents home around Christmas.We always had great times playing games, hunting and catching up on family news. In one such hunting expedition outside of “Hutch”, Tom’s dad , Alison, was driving his old Chrysler in the open range seeking jack rabbits. There were five of us in the car and all had shotguns on the ready. Uncle Alison drove side ways on a dike for a cow pond and we youngsters in the back slid over to one side against Tom thinking we would overturn. Tom took it in stride announcing that it’s the way we do things here, there was silence for a moment before we all broke out laughing.I recall trudging through knee deep snow with him and ice blowing in my face looking for game, conditions seldom experienced at home. Tom was a great sports buff. One visit in Lawrence I remember going to a movie with him titled “Goldfinger”, and discussing the upcoming NFL AFL championship between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. We also attended a Kansas City As game (later the Oakland As) one summer.
I think these memories stick with me all these years because Tom was such a great guy and fun to be around. I feel very blessed to have known him.
May the Lord comfort the family in this difficult time.
My prayers are with Tom’s family and friends. I was blessed to know Tom a bit recently through band, and he was a very nice person to play music and talk with.
Jaime – I am very sorry on the loss of your dad. I remember you speaking affectionately of him and your family life. He sounds like an awesome individual and I know he will be missed.