Thomas "Farmer Tom" J. Carmichael

Thomas “Carms” “Farmer Tom” James Carmichael, died on Sunday August 24, 2008 at Waukesha Memorial Hospital at the age of 63.  He was born on March 11, 1945 to Mary Jane (Mann) and Donald Bryce Carmichael.  He married, Nancy Lee Barnard on December 2, 1967.  He is survived by his wife Rev. Nancy Carmichael, their two children, Suzanne (Doug) Carmichael-Adkins and Lee (Nicole) Carmichael, his two grandsons, Oliver and Mercer, and one brother Timothy (Marcia) Carmichael.  Tom graduated from Waukesha High School in 1963.  He attended Marquette University and UW-River Falls earning a BS in Biology and English.  Later he completed his Master’s degree at UW-Whitewater.  He taught English for the Pewaukee School District for 37 years teaching in both the High School and Middle School.  For many years he was the team leader for the 8th grade.  In 1999 he received the Distinguished Teach Award from Partners For Education, Inc. in recognition of outstanding leadership and advocacy of the development of business and educational partnerships.   All his life he grew vegetables and bedding plants for the fresh farm market.  He and his wife owned Butchart’s Flower Shop for over twenty years.  He served the community by serving on the Waukesha County Fair Board for many years in several areas including Commercial Vendors, Side stage, and Treasurer. Tom was given the nickname “Carms” by the students at Pewaukee High School.  He loved the theater directed the High School Plays and Musicals for many years.  He served as team leader in the Middle School also for many years.  He retired in 2004.  That year he was privileged to give the 8th graduation speech to the Asa Clark Middle School.  In it he used Robert Frost’s poem, the Road Less Traveled.  He challenged them to choose a road, to take the road less traveled.  The road that their heart would lead them to follow.  After retirement he followed his farmer’s heart and put his full energy into expanding his greenhouse perennial business and vegetable farm continuing to sell plants and vegetables in the Waukesha Farmer’s Market and Dousman Farmer’s Market.  He became known as “Farmer Tom”.  He followed his dream of “going South each winter” spending several months in Port Aransas, TX where he enjoyed walking the beach, wading in the ocean, watching the shipping canal, and eating fresh shrimp.  He grew up on Oakdale road, in the town of Waukesha, on the family farm where he and his wife also built their home and lived for forty years.  He passed away from pancreatic cancer. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 from 4:00 PM until 7:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, 121 Wisconsin Ave., Waukesha.  A second visitation will be held on Thursday August 28, 2008 from 2:00 PM until the 4:35 PM Funeral Service at Immanuel United Methodist Church, 201 E. Racine St., Jefferson.  Rev. Pat Lyon will preside.  Memorials may be made to the family for a scholarship fund in Tom’s name to benefit horticulture or agriculture students and pancreatic cancer research.  For further information, please call Randle-Dable Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at (262) 547-4035, or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave an on-line tribute.