Thomas Landers

OBITUARY FOR THOMAS LEE LANDERS

Thomas Lee Landers passed away on September 9, 2025, after a 6-year journey with dementia. He was born on May 7, 1950, in Dumas, Texas to Sidney and Murriel Landers. He grew up in Anton, Texas and graduated from Anton High School in 1968 as valedictorian and president of the student body. He attended Texas Tech University and graduated in 1972 with a BS degree and the distinction of being one of the top five students in the College of Engineering. He was also a Saddle Tramp while at Tech.

After graduation he married his wife of 53 years Patti Stone. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force and stayed at TTU to complete his MS degree in 1973 also in industrial engineering. He served four years as an engineer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and did reliability analyses on the A10 and F16 planes. After honorable discharge from the AF Tom had a 10-year career in industry prior to returning to Texas Tech to earn the PhD degree in 1985. While there he was grateful to receive benefits from the GI bill and also serve as a lecturer in the Department of Industrial Engineering and College of Business in order to support his family while he furthered his education as he and Patti had three sons when he returned to school. His first faculty appointment in 1986 was at the University of Arkansas where he received both teaching and research awards.

In 1998 he went to the University of Oklahoma and served there as Director and Pittman Professor of Industrial Engineering and then Dean and AT&T Professor of the Gallogly College of Engineering until 2019. He led the college in expansion to include the Rawl engineering practice facility, Devon Hall, and Gallogly Hall the establishment of the Stephenson School of Bioengineering. He valued the relationships developed with many students, alumni, and donors. Tom enjoyed traveling during his career and made many trips to Asia and Europe. He taught study abroad at OU Arezzo for 10 years in summer intersession courses. He and Patti celebrated their 50th anniversary with a Canadian train trip from Toronto to Vancouver.

Tom is survived by his wife and three sons Stephen of Tulsa, David of Springdale, AR, and Andrew (Tong) of Frisco, TX and four grandchildren Amara, Coen, Evan, and Nora Landers.

Tom was a parishioner at Christ the King Catholic church. A service will be held at a later time. Memorial gifts can be made to the Felgar Society in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service & Cremation Care Centers, 1329 East 151st Street, Glenpool, OK 74033. Family and friends may leave kind words of comfort, special memories and condolences to the family online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com