Dr. Thomas James Gasque

Dr. Thomas J. Gasque, Ph.D., a native of Marion, SC, was a longtime English professor who became an amateur geographer and historian as well as his loving family’s go-to expert to settle academic disputes, died July 12 at Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, S.C., after a brief illness. He was 85. Tom was born Sept. 6, 1937, in Marion, S.C., the second of four children born to Thomas Jefferson Gasque and Margaret Olive (Reaves) Gasque. Tom spent much of his youth at Camp Coker in Darlington County, S.C., as a Boy Scout and Order of the Arrow Eagle Scout. As both camper and counselor, he wrote plays that were produced at the camp over the last 70-odd years. He continued his interest in the Scouts throughout his life, often meeting with current and former Scout leaders. Tom graduated in 1955 from Marion High School and 1959 from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. He went on to earn his master’s degree from Emory University and his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He taught briefly at both Clemson University and Columbia College, both in South Carolina. He moved to Vermillion, S.D. in 1968 where for 35 years he taught in, and for a while chaired, the English Department at the University of South Dakota. Tom's skills as a writer and researcher were admired not only by his students and colleagues, but also by his extended family and friends, who prized his literary and linguistic expertise. Tom also was a skilled onomastic scholar — exploring the origins of names — and led societies devoted to the history of geographic place names. After retirement from USD, Tom and his wife, Alice, herself a professor of English at USD, moved from Vermillion to Forest Acres, a suburb of Columbia, S.C., where they lived for 16 years. In 2019, Tom and Alice moved into Laurel Crest Retirement Community in West Columbia, where he made many wonderful friends. Tom became an active member of the Laurel Crest community, creating and publishing the residential newsletter, The Chrestomathy, and serving as the Residents Association chair. For the monthly book club, Tom would read each book twice and create a discussion sheet for the members. For the last 45 years of his life, Tom researched and at long last, wrote about his aunt, Carrie Durant Reaves, whose letters home from her time in an Appalachian mission school have been a treasured family heirloom. Half a lifetime’s work was finally completed in 2022 with the publication of Tom’s historical biography, “Letters from Kentucky – My search for Aunt Carrie”. He is survived by his wife Alice Tealey Gasque; daughter Susanna Gasque White and son-in-law Chris White; grandson Preston White; sisters Ann Gasque Depta and Dorothy Gasque Smith, nieces Laura Depta Peal (Stan), Jean Margaret Smith Card (Skip), Julia Smith McLeod (Phil), Alison Tealey Simón, and Ashley Soles; nephews Selden K Smith (Ann), Tom Smith (Ellie) David Gasque (Sherrie), and Jamie Soles (Megan); brothers-in-law Tom Tealey and Fred Tealey; and sister-in-law Marsha Gasque. He also leaves many beloved grand nieces, grand nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, Reaves Gasque, nephew Paul Depta, brother-in-law Selden K Smith Sr., and sister-in-law Jane Tealey. A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Saturday, July 22 at 3 o’clock at Laurel Crest Retirement Community, Three Rivers Room, 100 Joseph Walker Drive, West Columbia, S.C. 29169. Friends and family are encouraged to bring their favorite Tom stories. The family will receive friends following the service. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the Gasque family.

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Dr. Thomas James Gasque

September 6, 1937 - July 12, 2023