Thomas Obed Kay of Wheaton died Friday, September 23, 2022. Born December 20, 1932 to Obed Streeter Kay and Margaret Brown Kay, Tom attended Wheaton Public Schools and graduated from Wheaton College in 1953 with a degree in history. He was a member of the Wheaton College Men's Glee Club. He earned masters and doctoral degrees in medieval history from the University of Chicago. His doctoral dissertation analyzed the effect of the Viking raids on French monasteries.

Tom lived in Wheaton his entire life except for 1957-1959 when he taught at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. It was in Waverly he fell in love with and married Janice Lucille Cave on April 25, 1959. Having secured a faculty position back at Wheaton College, Tom returned to Wheaton that summer. He and Jan made Wheaton their home for 63 years together with their children, Cathy, Bob, and John.

Tom served on the Wheaton College history department faculty his entire career, retiring in 2004. He taught a wide range of courses over the years, including History of Western Civilization, Ancient Greek and Roman, Russian, Medieval, Reformation, and Renaissance History. Tom led the history department as chair for more than two decades. At his retirement, colleagues expressed their deep appreciation for Tom's servant leadership in this position. His gift for administering the work of the department, they said, facilitated their own professional accomplishments in research and publication. His students regarded Tom as demanding but fair, a never-ending fountain of information. Leading a 1991 student trip to Russia, Tom's calm, steady temperament proved invaluable as he made safe and secure arrangements for his students in the midst of an attempted Russian coup.

Tom was a life-long member of College Church in Wheaton, active in youth groups as a teenager and serving in many capacities as an adult. Tom sang in the church choir from 1946 - 1972, ushered, led singing for Sunday evening services, was Sunday School Superintendent, taught Sunday School classes, and together with Jan, was a sponsor for the high school youth group, Hyacks.

Music, especially music of the church, was profoundly important to Tom. Tom also had a deep appreciation of opera. He always enjoyed listening to his children and grandchildren make music. Most of all, he loved to hear Jan sing and play piano.

Tom served on numerous state and local boards and commissions including the Wheaton Historic Commission and the DuPage County Housing Authority.

Tom's work with the Washington Street Mission in Springfield, IL exemplified his commitment to living out his faith in service of others. The Mission, founded in 1910 by Tom's maternal grandfather and later run by Tom's aunt and uncle Mary Louisa and Bob Miller, served the homeless, hungry, and troubled of Springfield. They provided food, clothing, and other services as well as Christian gospel services every night of the week. When Tom's uncle died, Tom provided essential guidance and assistance to his aunt as she continued to run the Mission. Tom served twenty-five years on the Mission's Board and steered it into its next era following his aunt's death. His history of the Mission can be found on its website. https://washingtonstreetmission.org Adapting to the ever-changing demands and needs, the Washington Street Mission continues to serve the people of Springfield.

Tom was devoted to his family. He was involved with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts with Bob and John. He worked hard around the house, cooked Sunday dinners, and packed school lunches. He told great stories and always had a book to suggest for a history project. Tom and Jan approached life side-by-side as best friends and true partners.

In the mid-1980s, Tom was stricken with salmonella in a major Chicagoland outbreak resulting from tainted milk. The doctors offered almost no hope of his survival. Yet, people all around the world prayed for his recovery and God restored Tom to life. In the ensuing more than 35 "bonus" years, Tom's impact was even more widely felt. He welcomed the births of his grandchildren. He travelled internationally including to Russia and South Africa. He taught hundreds more students, attended hundreds of concerts and lectures, and made meaningful contributions to community organizations. What a gift!

Tom is survived by his best friend and wife of 63 years, Janice (Cave) Kay, their children Catherine M. Kay (Richard Cooper) of Northampton, Massachusetts; Robert Kay (Barbara) of Wheaton; and, John Kay (Catherine E.) of Falls Church, Virginia. He is also survived by grandchildren Thomas, William, Charles, Rebecca, Benjamin, Andrew, Eleanor, and Megan. Also surviving are Tom's brother Richard O. Kay (Maple City, Michigan) and sister Ann Bragg (Deep Gap, North Carolina) and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Tom also leaves his sisters-in-law (Jan's sisters) Virginia Ruzicka and her husband, Jack Ruzicka of Marble Rock, Iowa; and Rebecca Radel and her husband Richard Radel of Stillwater, Minnesota. Jan's four sisters whole-heartedly accepted Tom as their big brother and he cared for them all deeply. Noma Cave and Judy Kahler predeceased him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Tom's memory to the Washington Street Mission. https://washingtonstreetmission.org/donations/ . Washington Street Mission, 408 N. 4th Street, Springfield, IL 62702.

A visitation will be held on Friday, October 7, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at College Church in Wheaton, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187. A live stream of the funeral service will be available here: Service for Thomas Kay

Burial will be private at Wheaton Cemetery.