Tom Ashton
May 21, 1939-June 26, 2017
Palo Alto, California

Palo Alto resident Tom Ashton died at home on June 26 surrounded by his family after a long illness. He was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, and grew up and attended high school in Abington, Massachusetts, where he was senior class president and a football star during an undefeated season. He earned an undergraduate degree in geological engineering from Michigan College of Mining and Technology, where he was a Sigma Rho. He obtained a graduate degree from Penn State in petroleum and natural gas engineering, as well as an MBA from Michigan State. He enjoyed many years as a geologist – first for Shell Oil in Texas and later in Santa Fe working in oil and gas for a subsidiary of the La Fonda Corporation. He moved to the Bay Area in 1975 and consulted for corporations, such as Kaiser Cement, Hills Brothers and Foremost McKesson. He had a passion for the outdoors: He enjoyed natural geology (as his many rock specimens can attest to); birding; hiking; and traveling. He and his wife, Annette Glanckopf, were "seven continent" people; one of Tom’s favorite vacations was their trip to Antarctica. He was also involved in community matters in Palo Alto before his illness, working on city campaigns, election committees, speaking at city council meetings and writing letters to the editor. He is survived by his wife, Annette Glanckopf, and four siblings (and their families), Kathleen English (husband Peter), Jim Ashton, Lorraine Ashton and Joan Bosze (husband Wayne).