Mr. Thomas Jackson Savage Jr. passed away, surrounded by his loving family, at his residence in Franktown on Thursday April 3, 2025. He was born at Northampton-Accomack Memorial Hospital on Sept. 8, 1934. His parents were the late Thomas Jackson Savage Sr. and the late Emma Arnold Savage.
Tom attained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech in 1962 and then accepted a job with NASA Wallops as a systems engineer in the data and communications systems section. He retired as supervisory assistant for Goddard Space Flight Center Suborbital Projects and Operations Direct Engineering Division. During his 38 years of government service at NASA, he received awards, which include the NASA Outstanding Service Award, the Silver Snoopy Award in recognition of contributions to the shuttle program, a certificate of appreciation for the establishment of new NASA tracking stations on the continent of Antarctica and in Greenland. After retirement, he served as a member of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority for five years.
Tom was a member of Franktown United Methodist Church. He humbly served his church in many capacities. He served as treasurer, member of the administrative board, longtime member of the Hamilton Men’s Class, and Sunday School class teacher. Tom was also very active in the Eastern Shore Emmaus. He also volunteered at the ARC House in Belle Haven and served as a member of the Northampton County School Board for many years. He was a longtime member of the Exmore Rotary Club and served as treasurer for the Nassawadox Fire Department.
Above all his successes, he was most proud of his family. Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Lee Gladden Savage and his brother-in-law, H.L. Gladden Jr. He is survived by three children, Beth Savage Robins (Russ), Susie Savage Dunton (Frank), and Tommy Savage (Leslie); six grandchildren, Lee Johnson (Billy), Katie Holland (Mike), Suzanne Cin (Phil), Andrew Dunton (Vicky), Emma Swoap (James), and Mary Charlotte Foster (Dustin); and 10 great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Harlin Johnson, Madelyn, Ayden, and Ryland Holland, Cole and Gavin Cin, Rhian and Kilian Dunton, and Nora Foster; two nieces, Amy Gladden (Alyssia) and Nacole Gladden (Tim Smith); one sister-in-law, Libby Mears (Chubby); and his devoted caregiver family, Greg Johnson, George Christian, Henry Johnson, Linda Guy, Cathi Murphy, and Cheryl Powell.
A funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, April 26, at 3 p.m. at Franktown United Methodist Church with the Rev. Bob Talbott officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Franktown United Methodist Church’s Hamilton Men’s Class, P.O. Box 130, Franktown, VA 23354 and the Exmore Rotary Club, P.O. Box 309, Exmore, VA. 23350.
Family and friends may sign the guest book at www.hollandfuneralhome.net
Arrangements were made by the Holland Funeral Home in Nassawadox.
