Tryon, NC- Thomas Grayston Warder, born in Grafton, West Virginia on September 14, 1910, passed away peacefully on October 8, 2006 at White Oak Manor in Tryon, North Carolina at the age of 96. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1932, he served in World War II in the construction of ships in Newport News, Virginia, achieving the rack of Lt. Commander. For most of his career he was a successful engineer and executive in the glass container industry serving a variety of corporations across America. The son of Hugh and Ann Moran Warder, Tom was the last survivor of five brothers and two sisters reared in Grafton, West Virginia. He followed his older brother, Frederick B. Warder to Annapolis. Due to the Depression and the federal policy to reduce expenditures on defense, Tom was released from naval service because of comparatively poor eyesight. He then traveled the world in the engine room of a ship in the Merchant Marine, before locating a job in a survey party in West Virginia. In the spring of 1934, he began a career with Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia. At the time, Hazel-Atlas was the largest manufacturer of glass in the world. For the next eight years he accepted assignments in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Oklahoma, and California. In 1938 he married Norma Young of Lancaster, New York. When World War II broke out, Tom accepted a commission in the U.S. Navy. Upon war's end, he went back to Hazel-Atlas where he was asked to build and the manage a glass factory in Pomona, California. In 1956, when Hazel-Atlas was bought by Continental Can, he was asked to repeat the effort in Dalton, Illinois, near Chicago. In 1958 he accepted new employment with MetroGlass, a division of National Dairy, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Then in 1964, he went West again to work for Hunt-Wesson in Fullerton, California. Finally, in 1968 he moved back to New Jersey, accepting one last assignment for Kraft before his retirement in 1975. Tom and Norma moved to Bethany Beach, Delaware where they enjoyed a beach home for several decades and visits from children and grandchildren. Tom was a great student of U.S. and world history and read widely. He enjoyed a good joke, the occasional cigar, and a good scotch. He was always proud of his West Virginia heritage. These were very good years, but eventually they sold their home and moved inland to Millsboro, Delaware. In 2003, they moved to Covington, Louisiana to be closer to their children, Thomas Jr. and Carrie and the care they could provide them. Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 prompted one more move to Tryon, North Carolina, away from the storms and close to their daughter, Margaret. In addition to Norma, his loving wife of 68 years, Tom is survived by four children: Margaret, Thomas, Jr., Michael, and Carrie, and eight grandchildren and five great- grandchildren No Services are planned. Memorials may be made to Foothills Humane Society, 989 Little Mountain Road, Columbus, NC 28722.
To
to the family, please