Thomas Hyde obituary
Thomas Gregory Hyde, age 55, of Murfreesboro, passed away on May 17, 2018, surrounded by his family. A loving husband and father, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Tom touched lives around the globe through his work and travels, before making his final journey to meet God.
Tom is survived by his wife Yukari Hyde, parents Martha and Charles Hyde, daughter Erika (Alfredo Donato), sons Alan and Jim (Hailey Williams), siblings Chuck (Tonya), Robert (Michelle), Nancy Pantone, and David (Robbie), as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Tom grew up in Northwest Tennessee and graduated from University of Tennessee-Martin, where he pioneered the school’s study abroad program and became one of the first pair of American students to ever study at Hirosaki University in Japan. He spoke 10 languages, studied in 5 countries, and earned business degrees and certificates from National Taiwan Normal University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and International Christian University in Tokyo. He met his wife Yukari in Japan, and fulfilled his promise to show her the world, as they traveled together to almost 100 countries during their 30 years together.
Tom was known as an avid entrepreneur who enjoyed the challenge of solving complex problems. In a career that spanned nearly three decades, he founded many companies and employed well over 200 people. Those who know Tom understood that his mind worked at a furious pace, and because of this, his interests and his business ventures were diverse. He was most well known as the president of a Japanese executive search firm but he also founded several other ventures including a software development company, a real estate investment firm, and multiple retail establishments. Tom was a people person. He loved his staff and took pride in supporting his employees and investing in them and their families.
Most of all, those who know Tom know that he was giving. He was quick to offer assistance and advice to friends and strangers alike. One of his proudest achievements was the endowment of the Tom and Yukari Hyde Global Scholars Program; the annual scholarship funds international education opportunities for UT-Martin students. He also endowed a similar program for aspiring computer programmers at MTSU. He was a coach and the longest-running sponsor of Murfreesboro’s One Goal Sports program, helping over 1,000 children compete in the soccer league. He also served on the Board of Advisors for the Ned Ray McWherter Institute.
Visitation will be at Woodfin Chapel in Murfreesboro on Saturday, May 26 from 3pm to 8pm, followed by a funeral on Sunday, May 27, at 2pm. All are invited.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you help continue Tom’s dream of expanding cultural understanding through education with a memorial donation. Donations may be made with a check made out to University of Tennessee-Martin with “The Tom and Yukari Hyde Global Scholars Program” in the subject line. A GoFundMe page for the scholarship program will also be made available. www.woodfinchapel.com
