Tommy Laepple

On Monday morning, Oct. 31, 2022, Tommy Lynn Laepple, 75, Tyler, went to be with his Savior after a long illness. Tom was a loving husband and father. He was born in Guthrie, Okla. on July 16, 1947, to Edward Laepple and Iva Jean (Hampton) Laepple. He grew up on a farm near Lamar, Mo. 

After graduating from Lamar High School in 1965, he graduated from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., in 1969, where he majored in Speech and Drama. He received his Masters Degree of Divinity in 1971 from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He kept in touch with many of his LHS classmates of ‘65 and always watched Lamar’s football games online. 

Tom worked in medical sales with Redline Medical for many years and was later employed in sales for Shopsmith Tools. He was quite the salesman and received numerous salesmanship awards from both businesses. He had the great pleasure of traveling all over the country demonstrating Shopsmith’s woodworking tools. 

He was an avid collector of vintage woodworking tools and enjoyed using any kind of tool. Genealogy was another one of his passions and he enjoyed talking to and getting to know people all over the world. He collected and took many photos and documented much information about the family history. 

Preceding Tom in death were his parents; a sister, Carol Melton and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Helen and Albert Cowan. 

Tom leaves behind his wife, Barbara (Cowan); sons, Jeffrey Laepple and wife Laney and Derek Laepple, Tyler, Texas; a sister, Kathy Sanders and husband David, St. Clair, Mo. and a brother, Steve Laepple and wife Deanna, Lamar, Mo. He is also survived by a beloved aunt, Roberta Hampton and a brother-in-law, Gary Melton, both of Lamar, Mo. and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Surviving sisters-in-law are Patsy Spurrier and husband Rick, Phoenix, Ariz., Susan Watson and husband Mark, Seattle, Wash. and Shelly Hale and husband Tim, Chicago, Ill.