Clarence Thomas 'Tom' Warren Sr.

Clarence Thomas "Tom" Warren Sr., 83, passed away to his Heavenly home on Thursday, January 20, 2022. Memorial service will be at a later date. Arrangements are by Rector Funeral Home Osage Chapel, 2800 S. Osage. Tom was born to Clarence Alexander and Ruth Warren on December 28, 1938, in Amarillo, Texas. Toms father was a banker by trade and Tom followed him into the family business, starting in the basement of Amarillo National Bank rolling quarters as a youngster. When he wasnt working at the bank or starting trouble at school, Tom was working with his hands, developing a love for building and repairing things, with a special love for cars and trucks. After graduating from Amarillo High School, Tom enrolled at Amarillo College and later transferred to Baylor University to pursue his education as a lawyer. When an optical illness prevented him from being able to study the law, he switched majors to pursue a bachelors degree in business administration. While at Baylor, Tom met the love of his life, Delene, a music major from Lamesa. It was a whirlwind romance for Tom and Delene and the two quickly became inseparable around Waco. When Tom graduated from Baylor and moved back to Amarillo, Delene came with him, transferring to study education at West Texas State University. Tom and Delene were soon married at the Memorial Chapel on the universitys campus. After moving back following his adventure in Waco, Tom returned to work at Amarillo National Bank, this time moving from the basement rolling quarters to the administrative offices of the bank. Tom quickly rose through the ranks at ANB, eventually becoming vice president of the bank. Tom loved his work at the bank and enjoyed helping the banks staff find success in their daily work and the banks clients find a place where they could be comfortable doing business. Tom left the bank in the 1980s to walk his own path in business as a small business owner. Tom was eventually recruited back into the world of corporate business as the personnel director at the American Quarter Horse Associations headquarters in Amarillo. During his time with AQHA, Tom was tasked with turning around a high turnover rate at the company, eventually rebuilding the organizations staff with a focus on retention. When he retired from the AQHA, Tom was incredibly proud of his work at the organization and his accomplishments helping to rebuild the organizations staff. As a retiree, Tom focused on what he loved building things and restoring trucks. Tom could often be spotted cruising through downtown Amarillo in his vintage black Ford pickup and was often building something, whether it was a toy log cabin for his grandson, Tom III, or a doghouse for his puppy, Buttercup. Tom was also incredibly proud of his "General," a custom Airstream RV he built to cruise America. While Tom was retired, he couldnt shake his itch to run organizations. He eventually joined the Amarillo Senior Citizens Association as the board president and was eventually elected national president of both the American Truck Historical Society and the Historical Vintage Truck Association, two nationwide truck enthusiast organizations. As life began to slow down, Tom loved spending time at home with Delene and Buttercup. Tom developed an affinity for baked goods during the pandemic, craving cookies and pretty much anything that his daughter-in-law would make him in an air fryer. He was a regular watcher of the news, tuning into the news every evening before surfing the channels between 1970s cop shows, professional wrestling, and programs like Antiques Roadshow and Forensics Files. Tom was a dedicated family man, spending every moment he could with his wife and family. Tom was incredibly close to his son, Tom II, and his wife, Tamara, and loved spending time talking with them and telling stories. Tom also loved encouraging his family members to reach for the stars, being the driving force behind his grandson Tom IIIs venture into the world of media business. Tom loved riding around town, going to the grocery store, and taking trips to vote every election with his grandson, Tom Warren III. Every day, every moment, Tom was proud of his family and loved them very much. Tom is preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wide, Delene Warren, his son, Tom Warren Jr. and his wife Tamara, his sister, Elizabeth Pigg, four grandsons; Tom (TIII) Warren and his fiance Lauren Hughes, Steven Miller and his wife Liz, JT Miller and his wife Kayla, and Jefferey Miller, and two cousins, TJ and Cleve Carr. Toms family requests that memorial donations be made to S.C.A.R., Second Chance Animal Rescue (https://www.scaramarillo.org/donate), and Top of Texas Bee Keepers. No Service Tuesday, February 01, 2022