Thomas O. Skarp

(February 18, 1933 to May 28, 2020)

Thomas Skarp was born in 1933 in Comfrey, MN as the oldest of five sons born to  Oscar and Marlowe Skarp. He died May 28, 2020 in Athens, Alabama after a long  illness.

He attended and graduated from Boyd, MN high school where he was a decorated  athlete.

He then attended Mayville State College and graduated with a social studies/history  major. While at Mayville, he played football and basketball. It was there that he met  Edythe Ann (Edie) Bailey. They were united in marriage in 1954 and were married 47  years before Edie’s passing in 2000. Tom served in the Korean War and was a  member of the American Legion.

They had four children, seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Tom taught and coached in Cooperstown, ND from 1958-1968. His 10 years of  coaching produced two state class-B basketball tournament teams in 1963 and 1966.  Some individual and team records from his 1966 team stand yet today. He received  his masters’ degree from the University of North Dakota in 1967. He was a high school  principal in Cooperstown from 1967 through 1975. In the early 70s, Tom was  responsible for implementing one of the pilot high school programs for vocational  education. His family moved to Oakes, ND in 1975 where he opened and  administered the Southeast Multidistrict Vocational Center until his retirement in the  early 90’s.

Tom was always happiest when he had “a houseful of kids.” He enjoyed golfing and  was known to feel guilty for all the fish he caught on his many trips to the Missouri  River.

Tom is survived by his children Anne (Jeff) Baase, Mike (Curt Peterson) Skarp, Roger  (Karen) Skarp, Doug Skarp; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brothers  Alan, James (Dee), Danny (Linda) and numerous nieces and nephews. He was  preceded in death by his parents Oscar and Marlowe, wife Edie, second wife Carol,  brother David, sisters-in-law Vernita Stuart, Lois Skarp, Marge Peterson, brothers-in-  law Leonard Bailey and Bob Peterson.

A gathering of family and friends will occur at a later date in Oakes, North Dakota.  Memorials preferred to the Oakes Golf Club (North Dakota), Southeast Region Career  and Technology Center (Oakes).

Letters of condolences may be left at Spry Funeral Home (http://spryfuneralhome.com/)

“Rest In Peace, Roy.”