Thomas Colbert

Thomas Burnell Colbert passed away Saturday, August 22, 2015 at Iowa River Hospice in Marshalltown, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 27th, 2015, at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Pauls Episcopal Church, Marshalltown Community College and Iowa River Hospice. For condolences or questions please visit: www.mitchellfh.com. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Tom and his family. Phone 641-844-1234 Tom was born in Carroll, Iowa on September 23, 1947 to Walter and Mary Ann (Schneuttgen) Colbert. Tom was raised on a farm near Scranton, Iowa and graduated from Scranton High School in 1965. He earned his B.A. in history at the University of Iowa in 1969. He enlisted in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. He served from 1971-74 and was stationed near Athens, Greece. After his military service, Tom returned to the University of Iowa to finish his M.A. in history in 1975. He continued his graduate work at Oklahoma State University, where he met his wife, P.J., a fellow graduate assistant in the English department. They were married on December 28, 1978. Tom earned his Ph.D. in history at OSU in 1982. Toms first full-time teaching job was at Huron College in Huron, South Dakota, 1979-80. Tom and P.J. began teaching at Marshalltown Community College in 1981. In addition to teaching, Tom served on the boards of the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Historical Society of Marshall County, and the Marshalltown Public Library. He spent summers participating in National Endowment for the Humanities seminars and institutes and grading Advanced Placement exams. Tom was a member of St. Pauls Episcopal Church and was the Historiographer for the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. Always the scholar, Tom was editing papers on five Iowa Civil War generals in his final weeks. His deep knowledge of history and his knack for story-telling will be missed by his family, friends, and students. Tom is survived by his wife, Pamela J. P.J. Colbert, son Matthew of Papillion, NE, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Suzanne and Larry Hays, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dr. Dyke and Geri Moffatt, and nieces and nephews Jennifer and Doyle OHagan, Chelsey and Kris Matthews, and Wesley and Timi Moffatt, all of Edmond, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walt and Marie, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Harold and Lavada Moffatt.