WILMINGTON — It is with great sadness that we share that Thomas Bancroft of Wilmington, NC passed away peacefully at home on February 14, 2022.
Tommy will forever be missed by his daughter, Jenny Adams of Wilmington, his son-in-law, Austin, and his cherished grandsons, Miles and Henry. He will also be missed by his sister and best friend, Loretta Lewis of Wilmington and his niece, Katie White, and her husband, Bub, and their children, Emmi Rose and Brooks. Several special cousins in Ohio will also miss him dearly.
He is preceded in death by his father, Albert Bancroft, and mother, Viola; his wife, Carolyn; his son, Cliff and daughter-in-law, Hannah; his brother-in-law, Mike Lewis; and many beloved relatives and friends with whom he is now reunited.
Tommy was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 14, 1938 and moved to Wilmington, NC when he was four months old. He and his parents moved into the family home at 4806 Wrightsville Ave, which his great-grandfather and grandfather built. He grew up attending Winter Park Baptist Church, Winter Park Elementary, and graduated in the class of 1956 from New Hanover High School. Tommy had a very happy childhood and many fond memories of his family and childhood friends.
Tommy attended Wilmington College and earned his Associate’s degree in 1958. He then attended Clemson University for Industrial Engineering for two years and played the saxophone in the Marching Band. In 1961 while at Clemson, he joined the Army Reserves and was discharged in 1968. He earned his BA from UNCW in 1969. Tommy and Carolyn were married in 1969.
Tommy retired from CP&L after 37 years in various roles, including mechanical design, safety engineer, and access control, and in various locations. He took great pride in his years at CP&L and created lifetime friendships with many colleagues. Tommy also taught First Aid and CPR for the Red Cross for many years and was active in Wilmington Safety School. After retiring from CP&L, Tommy co-founded and operated Seagull Property Management Company. He loved meeting residents and working with contractors.
Tommy was an active member in the Exchange Club, serving as President. He was an active member of Winter Park Baptist Church and Little Chapel on the Boardwalk and served on several committees. Tommy was a lifetime member of the Hanover Seaside Club, one of his favorite places, and loved rocking on the porch and family picnics. UNCW was a big part of his life, attending sporting events and CAA basketball tournaments as a Seahawk Club member and attending events as a member of the Alumni Association. Although he had always been a Wolfpack fan, once his daughter attended NCSU, he joined the Wolfpack Club and loved attending football games and tailgating with his family.
Tommy was an outdoorsman and loved hunting, fishing, and camping. He was a member of the Black River Hunting Club for over 30 years, serving as Treasurer and cooking breakfast on many weekends. He loved surf fishing with his brother-in-law, Mike, and they loved nothing
more than sharing their catch at large family fish frys. Traveling and camping with Loretta and Mike and the kids with the camper gave many treasured memories.
Tommy was a talented engineer and handyman. He could build anything and enjoyed building furniture and renovating his home. He loved music and made many wonderful memories traveling with Cliff and Jenny to Merlefest music festival for over 20 years. He loved sports and golf. Attending the Master’s tournament with Mike for over 50 years was the highlight of his year. Tommy was nostalgic and had a sharp memory. Since he was a toddler, he was the “family storyteller.”
Above all, Tommy was a dedicated and loving family man. Being a son, brother, husband, and father were his favorite roles and brought him his greatest joy. He could always be counted on for support, love, and encouragement. He was available whenever and however he was needed, in good and bad times, no questions asked. He was gentle, loyal, and wise. He went above and beyond for others and deeply cared about his family and friends.
Being PaPa to Miles and Henry was his greatest joy. He was hands-on, picking them up from school, going to Friday lunch at McDonald’s, and attending events. When he couldn’t be hands-on, he was teaching them about cars or watching American Pickers.
Tommy was the epitome of a “good man.” He will be greatly missed and his love and stories will live on through his family.
Tommy’s family would like to thank his caregivers and special friends, Gina Winston, Whitney Pearsall, and Grushia Mboup.
In memory of Tommy, donations can be made to the ALS Association NC Chapter at 4 N Blount St #200, Raleigh, NC 27601 or the UNCW Alumni Association at UNCW Division for University Advancement c/o Alumni Association, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC 28403-5905.
A memorial service will be held at Little Chapel on the Boardwalk, Wrightsville Beach, NC on March 5, 2022, at 1pm. At this time, we will also celebrate the life of Tommy’s wife, Carolyn Bancroft, who passed away on September 25, 2020.
