Thomas Houston Hemphill, Tom, died totally unexpectedly at home on June 3,
2023, in Sanford, FL, at the age of 74.
Tom is survived by his wife, Judith, 6 children: Jennifer Hemphill Montgomery of New Braunfels, TX, Thomas Kurian Hemphill of Orlando, FL, Heidi Shireen Hemphill of Wilton, IA, and their mother, Barbara Hemphill Taylor of Raleigh, NC; William Jeremiah Hemphill of Sanford, FL, John-Mark Emmanuel Hemphill of Irvine, CA., Jacob Houston Hemphill of Atlanta, GA, and their mother, Cecile Montemayor Hemphill; and two step-children, Charles Samuel Bailow of Westbrook, CT, and Abigail Ashley Bailow of San Diego, CA; 3 grandchildren: William Jeremiah Hemphill (Jay) and his sister Margaret Olivia Hemphill, both of Sanford, Madisyn Montgomery of New Braunfels, TX, and 2 step-grandchildren, Samson Paul Magnani Bailow and Gracie Francheska Bailow of Westbrook, CT. Tom is survived also by his siblings James Higley Hemphill of Dallas, TX, John Charles Hemphill and his wife Linda of Galloway, OH, Margaret Jean Hemphill- Wysong and her husband Barth of Zanesville, OH, and Robert Davidson Hemphill of Des Moines, IA. He is preceded in death by his brother William Loehr Hemphill of Arlington, VA, and his sister Doris Ruth Hemphill of LeClaire, IA.
Tom was born on November 22, 1948, in Clarinda, IA, to William Crozier Hemphill and Margaret Jean Loehr Hemphill. He graduated from Clarinda High School in 1967 and earned a B.S in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska in Omaha.Tom had a varied, challenging, and fascinating career of service, including 35 years working internationally. While living in Russia, the Philippines, Grenada (West Indies) and India twice, he managed numerous not-for-profit programs including refugee relief, health care, disaster response, organizational development, poverty alleviation, nonprofit management training, agricultural development, and international marketing.
As Executive Director of Heifer International, which assists families worldwide to improve family nutrition and income through raising livestock, he guided the organization through a major financial crisis and restructuring. Tom also assisted in the creation of Bothar, a similar organization in Ireland.
Since 2001, he has served in the US as Executive Director for Ability 1st in Tallahassee, for Sancta Sophia Seminary in Tahlequah, OK, and for Tulsa Global Alliance in Tulsa, OK. Starting in June of 2017, he worked as a pharmacy driver for Hy-Vee in Windsor Heights, IA. People all over the world loved and admired him. He moved to Sanford last July in order to be able to spend more time as a grandfather.
A memorial service will be held and live streamed at 3:00 pm on June 25 th at the DeGusipe Funeral Home in Sanford, FL.