Dr. Thomas Maudlin, age 90, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2022 in Hoopeston, Illinois surrounded by family.
Tom was born on January 21, 1932 to Allen and Hallie (Carter) Maudlin of Georgetown, Illinois. His family were members of the Elwood Quaker Church. The core tenets of the Quaker religion served as a foundation for Tom throughout his entire life.
He graduated from Georgetown High School and attended University of Illinois at the encouragement of his Ag teacher. While attending the U of I, he was introduced to Roberta Callahan, a roommate’s cousin, who was a senior at Ridgefarm High School. This blind date changed his life forever, and they were married on June 13, 1954.
Tom graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1956. Wanting to work with dairy cattle, he took a job in Cissna Park, Illinois where he went on to practice both large and small animal medicine for 47 years. For 17 of these years his practice included an office in Hoopeston, IL. Doc Maudlin always said that the best thing about being a veterinarian was the people he met and worked with.
Tom and Roberta made their life in Cissna Park where they raised 6 children of whom he was very proud. Although he was a busy country veterinarian, he was also involved in the community, United Methodist Church, Claytonville Civic Club, and Masonic Lodge. He enjoyed watching his kids’ sports activities, playing golf, and supporting Illini football and basketball. Roberta’s adventurous side kept him busy too. They visited Europe, Asia, South America, Antarctica, and Australia. Their final trip, in October 2013, was to France where they toured the WWI Western Front and the locations where Tom’s father, a conscientious objector, had served in the Army as a cartographer.
Tom very much enjoyed antique automobile restoration projects. One of his great achievements was taking an unrecognizable mess and turning it into a fully restored 1910 Buick Toy Tonneau. He was active in the Illini Collector Car Club and International Harvester Collectors Club. Tom donated his restored 1908 Cadillac Model S to the Gilmore Car Museum where he was thrilled to know it would be maintained and driven. This hobby, particularly after retirement, was a source of immense joy that led him and Roberta to make wonderful trips and develop lifelong friendships all around the country and world–even as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Tom will be remembered for his inquisitive nature, desire to help others succeed, tremendous empathy, and generosity of spirit.
Tom is survived by Roberta, his wife of 68 years, children Jeff (Elsa) Maudlin, Jackie (Stephen) Murley, Jay (Sarah) Maudlin, Julanne (Stephen) Speer, and Joanna (Jun) Pangilinan; twenty grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, daughter Jennifer, sister Alice Albert, and brother Carroll Maudlin. His family would like to thank Heritage Woods of Watseka, Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center, Heritage Health Hoopeston, and IMH Hospice for their extraordinary care. Additionally, the family would like to thank the Cissna Park Volunteer Fire Department for all their assistance over the years.
Visitation will be from 9:00-11:00 am August 18, 2022 immediately followed by a memorial service at 11:00 at the United Methodist Church in Cissna Park, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Heritage Woods of Watseka Memory Care or the Cissna Park Volunteer Fire Department by designating your choice in the memo section of your check payable to Thomas Maudlin Memorial. If unable to attend the service but wish to send a condolence, please mail all correspondences to Knapp Funeral Home, 219 W Blaine St, Cissna Park, IL 60924.
