Thomas Houston Tyree

If you ever needed help, any kind of help, Tom Tyree was there – organizing a team, making a spreadsheet, and reminding everyone involved that they were, in fact, his favorite.

Thomas Houston Tyree, affectionately known as “Terrible Tom” (a title he bestowed upon himself), passed away on Friday, December 12, 2025, at Abington Hospital. He was 83 years old and resided at Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania.

Born on August 13, 1942, in Dallas, Texas, Tom was the son of Andrew Thomas Tyree and Elinor Louise Falder Tyree. He spent much of his childhood in Miami, Florida, attended McCallieSchool in Tennessee, earned an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, and later completed his MBA at the University of Florida. Terrible Tom was not without college hijinks – he developed arguably the world’s first dorm room music streaming business. After a dressing down by the school President for launching an unauthorized business on the Vanderbilt campus, the University purchased it to run it themselves.

Tom met the love of his life, his sweetheart, Maxine Ida May Rogers, in high school after her father became the pastor at Tom’s church. For their first date, Tom invited Maxine water skiing.They were married for more than 56 years and built a life centered on God, family, and service. After Maxine’s passing, Tom spoke of her with unwavering devotion, often saying simply that everything good in his life was better because she was part of it. He simply adored her.

Early on, Tom set three life goals for himself: to serve in the military, build his own business, and work in a large corporation. True to form, he accomplished all three.

Tom served as a Naval officer and navigator aboard a refrigerated cargo ship, collecting stories along the way, including his famous explanation of why Fourth of July fireworks in Norway don’t make much sense when the sun never sets. During his service, he earned the nickname “Toot Toot Tyree” after an audio-signal mishap that briefly sent an entire fleet turning the wrong way.He wore that mistake with pride for the rest of his life.

After the Navy, Tom founded his own company, Church Data Systems, which he famously operated out of a Class B RV. The RV came fully equipped with a conference table, coffee station, and bathroom, features that proved especially useful when Tom and his wife Maxine once assisted an entire bridge full of stranded motorists during a New York City snowstorm. Hot chocolate and bathroom breaks for everyone!

In 1974, Tom moved his family to Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, where he joined Unisys Corporation.Over the next 35 years, he built a remarkable career recovering major failing accounts. When it was considered all but lost, Unisys sent in the big guns, Terrible Tom. We’re not talking about the standard disgruntled client. These were clients that had already invoked their cancellation clause and executed a new contract with a Unisys competitor. Tom succeeded in saving all but one client. He considered that record just about perfect. Post-Unisys, Tom brought that same steady hand and hard-earned wisdom to Trella Health, a venture started by two of his sons. Trella would not have had the success it had without his invaluable support, guidance, and dedication.

An enthusiastic and deeply loved member of Jarrettown United Methodist Church in Dresher, Pennsylvania, Tom’s faith was inclusive, steady, non-judgmental, and lived out loud. To him, faith was a verb. He taught confirmation classes for years, using bowls of Skittles to explain prevenient grace, grace that is always already there. To the students’ delight, famously ripped a large stuffed cow in half to illustrate Genesis 15, reminding students that God’s covenant is unbreakable, even when we fall short. A gifted speaker with a commanding and gentle presence, Tom was frequently asked to narrate church performances and was scheduled to narrate the church cantata this coming Sunday.

Tom lived by one guiding rule, “Be yourself,” a principle he liked to joke that Saint Francis deSales borrowed from him. He loved spreadsheets, Cheerios, root beer, peanut butter and jelly, Muley Point, great adventures (always spreadsheet-organized), and shirts with collars and pockets so he could respectfully carry his pen-and-pencil set. He always had an extra seat at the table, an unlocked door, and a sock full of quarters, just in case a well-timed bet might motivate someone toward excellence.

As a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Tom set exceptionally high expectations and provided all the support needed to meet them. Though he regretted moments missed while providing for his family, he made up for it tenfold with his grandchildren, never missing a play, spelling bee, concert, graduation, or game. Known affectionately as “Beebo,” Tom held frequent family councils where everyone had a voice and the definition of family was generously drawn. Competition was welcomed and he was never shy about beating you at ping pong because Tom believed that challenge, like love, is one of the ways we grow.

Above all, Tom found and expected the best in everyone. He trusted freely, welcomed widely, mentored generously, and loved without reservation. His door was always open, literally, and his life reflected a deep belief that people are worth believing in before they prove it.

Tom is survived by his siblings, Andrea and Robert; his sons, Ian, Ted (Lisa), Ty (Maureen),Rafeal (Ides), and daughter Tamara; his grandchildren Evelyn, Gregory, Nerissa, Matthew, Elizabeth, Adriana, Houston, Carolyn, Tucker, Tommy, Analise, Sean, Natalia, Lauren, and Owen; and his great-grandchildren, Lorenzo, Maxine, and Benjamin. Tom’s family extended far beyond any official list, encompassing countless people who found belonging, encouragement, and belief within his open-hearted world.

A Celebration of Life for Tom will be held at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, 1460 Limekiln Pike, Dresher, Pennsylvania, at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026. Visitation with family will take place in the church’s Friendship Center from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., prior to the service. A luncheon will be held immediately following the ceremony in the church’s Fellowship Hall. All are welcome as Tom’s door is always open.

Tom’s legacy is one of love, faith, service, and unwavering belief in people. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Tom in the way he lived: welcome someone in, unlock a door, organize a team, place a friendly quarter bet, and remind someone, truthfully, that they are your favorite.

Because with Tom Tyree, everyone was.

Arrangements by Shaeff-Myers Funeral Home.