Thomas Earle “Tom” Wing – Born November 8, 1942 and died January 16, 2022, Age 79 Tom died peacefully and unexpectedly at his home. Tom was born in and was a lifelong resident of Lincoln, Ne. His parents were David and Thelma (Bstandig) Wing. He graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School and attended the University of Nebraska. Tom married Diane (Palmer) and they had a son, Christopher. He served his country in the National Guard. Tom was employed by the State of Nebraska Department of Roads as a Highway Designer where he participated in designing the Interstate Highway System in Nebraska, then continued on as a highway designer until the age of 75. Besides his family, music was a major interest of Tom’s and he enjoyed strumming beautifully on his guitar.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his former wife, Diane Wing. His loving survivors include his son, Christopher , his sister Janet Martin, nieces Molly Martin and Sarah Martin, and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews to whom he was a gentle, caring uncle. Tom will be cremated with burial to be at Fairview Cemetery in Lincoln at a later date. Tom was a supporter of many worthwhile causes, primarily the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln and Nebraska Public Television. Memorials to the family for further designation and may be sent in care of Wyuka Cemetery.
So sorry to hear of Tom’s passing . I worked with Tom at NDOR for 43 years. One of the smartest Highway Designers the Roads Department had. Tom was always ready to help when someone needed it. Continued to see him at our group lunches we had occasionly since we retired usually once every month or so until Covid which we worked around to still have them occasionally. Tom willed be missed by all.
Mike& Jody Parrott
So sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. I worked with him at NDOR for 43 years he was one of the very best Hiway Designers . Tom was a mentor to many and always willing to share his vast knowledge and assist you. He will be missed by many.
Tom Wing, married for many years to Diane Palmer, has been our beloved friend for 56 years.
A quiet polymath with a gently dry sense of humor, Tom always stayed busy with creative interests in his spare time, but music was probably his most consistent passion. Over the years, Tom became an accomplished guitar player, a pursuit he regretfully had to give up in the last couple of decades or so due to arthritis in his hands. He was kind about playing the guitar if urged, but, for decades, was especially generous about sharing recordings of whatever performers/composers he was listening to. When our vast collection of audio tapes started wearing out and giving way to CDs in the late 90s, I noticed that about 90% of the tapes were recorded by Tom, who introduced us to several genres we likely would not have learned to appreciate on our own. Right now, our replacement stack of unboxed TEW gift CDs would probably tower to 3 or 4 feet.
Tom’s sense of humor was especially endearing: subtle, even sneaky in a way, because t’was original and spontaneous. Consequently, our nuclear family’s dialect is enriched by Tom-quotes: words and phrases that were specific to the moment, so maybe hard to explain. Kind of ‘you had to be there’, but if you were, you’ve remembered it for years….
Tom was just the best of company, in so many ways, and we shall miss him very, very much.
James Palmer and Pamela, Jamie, Shannon and Amanda