Thomas H. Oswald, Jr.

Thomas Hepworth Oswald entered his next life on August 17, 2026 at Patriot's Village in Sumter, South Carolina. He was born in 1936 in Natchez, Mississippi, the son of Thomas Hepworth Oswald, Sr., and Juanita Sandidge Oswald. He was predeceased by his younger brother, John Charles Oswald.

Tom was married for 42 years to the late Elizabeth Barton, of Marion, Alabama. Tom and Elizabeth met as students at Auburn University. They are survived by son Jeffery Hepworth Oswald (Melissa) of Pecan Hill, TX. They were proud grandparents to Thomas Hepworth Oswald, III, (Mollie) of Rembert, SC; James Barton Oswald (Jessica), of Charleston, SC; and Bryan Matthew Hendricks (Julie), of Anderson, SC. His three great-grandchildren are Elizabeth LeNoir Oswald, Mary Thomas Oswald and Natalie Lynn Oswald. He was preceded in death by his son James Thomas Oswald (Teri), Clemson, SC.

He is also survived by former wife Ann Mebane and dear companion Beth Lee.

Tom attended Louisiana State University, and graduated in Building Construction from Auburn University. He earned a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the U.S. Navy post-graduate program, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University.

Tom was a career naval officer, entering via the NROTC program at Auburn. After serving two years on the aircraft carrier USS Randolph, he converted to the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps. There he served as public works and construction management officer in various locations. He was Operations Officer with a naval mobile construction (Seabee) battalion for two deployments to Vietnam. Following this he was assigned as the Navy's Civil Engineer Advisor to 17 Latin American navies, with residence in the Panama Canal Zone. Returning to the states, he served in the Politico-Military Policy Division of the staff, Chief of Naval Operations. Tom then served as manager of the Naval Reserve Civil Engineer Corps and Seabee Division and later as Director of the Seabee Division in Naval Facilities Engineering Command headquarters. He completed his naval career in the Southern Division, NAVFAC, in Charleston, SC. There he was head of facilities engineering and construction for the southern region. He retired as a Commander in 1979.

Upon retirement, Tom taught in the Engineering Technology and Civil Engineering Departments at Clemson University. He also served as Director of Continuing Engineering Education and as Director of the Construction Industry Cooperative Alliance. His Clemson

doctoral research was in the early development of ''total quality management" in the engineering and construction industry. He consulted in that area for a number of years.

Tom was a trustee of the Elbert W Rogers Foundation and a board member of International Ballet, Greenville.

Tom was a long-time member of Clemson United Methodist Church, serving in several capacities including chairing the 2002 land search and building committee. He is a current member of First Baptist Church, Greenville.

Tom's memorial service will be held in the chapel at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home in Clemson SC on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Burial will be at a later date beside his wife Elizabeth near Marion, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church Greenville or to Triune Mercy Center.

Visit RobinsonFuneralHomes.com or Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home & Cremations, Central-Clemson Commons.