Obituary

It’s with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of Thomas Leslie Edge, 93, on Thursday, April 14, 2022 in The Villages, Florida. He was a bright and enduring spark in this world and will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Tom was born on May 11, 1928 in St. Clair Shores, Michigan to Grace and Ernie Edge. He graduated from Lakeview High School and then from the University of Michigan’s Architecture School in 1953. Shortly thereafter, he married the love of his life, Margie. Tom & Margie then moved to Dayton, Ohio where Tom worked for W.A. Simms Developer. In 1956, they moved to Mansfield, Ohio where Tom managed the design and production departments for Midwest Houses Inc. There, he originated and implemented the idea of prefabricated roof trusses for houses. In 1961, they moved to Dayton, Ohio where Tom founded Thomas L. Edge Architects, Inc. In 1983, James V. Tinney joined Tom as his architecture partner and Tom changed the company name to Edge & Tinney Architects, Inc. By the early 1990s it had become the largest architecture firm in Dayton, with 25 employees. Tom was active in the Dayton Homebuilders’ Association and the American Business Club. In 1991, Tom and Margie retired to Florida—first to Port Richey and finally to The Villages in 2007.

Tom’s work philosophy was “work hard; don’t lie, cheat, or steal; smile a lot, and you shall succeed.” Added to that was “if it isn’t fun don’t do it. If you have to do it, then do it right the first time so you won’t have to do it over.”

Tom’s first love was building things and his second love was fixing them when they broke. He maintained an enviable workshop with a full complement of tools. Tom was known for the water skis he crafted and learned to ski on as a teenager, and the ice boats he built and raced on Lake St. Clair from 1943 to 1947. He was a card player who could outsmart most of his opponents in bridge, poker, gin rummy, and euchre. Tom also loved to play golf. He scored two holes in one and was still hitting the links at 91.

Tom’s greatest pride and joy was his family. He is survived by his wife Margaret, brother Don, daughters Diane Edge and Karen Edge Brown, son Randy Edge, son-in-law Bill Brown, daughter-in-law Julie Edge, and five grandchildren — Jake, Nate, and Luke Brown, and Caroline and Nicholas Edge. Tom and Margie were married for almost 69 years. He loved his family and friends fiercely and would do anything for them. Tom will be remembered for his incredibly detailed memory, ability to build and fix anything and everything, his strong love of politics, as well as his ability to meet challenges with a smile and a sharp wit. He represented the ingenuity and can-do attitude we all need in our lives. He will be greatly missed.

A Celebration of Life was held in The Villages, FL on April 16th. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Cornerstone Hospice Foundation of Tavares, FL.