Thomas "Tom" J. Lavery
Man of the Soil Takes a Dirt Nap
Tom Lavery, the man behind the Roanoke Valley’s premier sod farm, conceded his battle with Parkinson’s Disease on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. He relinquished the wonders of this world for those of the next, to catch up with his parents, Ted Lavery and Ruth Zitzman, as well as other family and friends who preceded him. Tom leaves behind, a daughter, Katie Lavery Niekamp, son-in-law Brad Niekamp, and a younger sister, Jennifer Lavery.
Tom’s obsession for all-things-soil-related was evident to his mother when he was just a toddler. Tom’s early earth moving activities were so aggressive that the craters he dug in the driveway prevented cars from accessing the garage. Ruth was so impressed she created a scrapbook just to document his fascination with dirt.
Tom’s interests in agronomy were heightened during his teenage years by working on a farm in Jackson, Ohio, where he grew up from 7 to 17. Tom cherished his adolescence in Ohio. After a stint in Baltimore, Maryland, Tom’s family moved back to their city of origin, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during his early college years. There Tom took a job at a landscaping nursery in Plum Borough. Working for the nursery introduced him to the joys of installing sod, and to the nurseryman’s daughter, his first wife, Pat McMeekin.
When Tom’s initial attempt at college was thwarted by the looming Vietnam era draft, he enlisted in the Navy Sea Bees and honed his skills as a heavy equipment operator, to perform yet more earth moving, in Gulfport, Mississippi. By 1971, Tom and Pat had moved back to the east coast, and had their only daughter, Katie, who today with Brad continue to operate Lavery’s Sod Farm.
With a baby on his hip, Tom was motivated to get a college degree, and the University of Maryland allowed him to return for another swipe at higher education. Tom followed his interests and went into soil science. He completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy with a major in General Soils and a minor in Turf and Urban Agronomy in 1974. He worked in the agronomy department while going to school in College Park, where he met other like-minded dirt-folks, and became even more aligned with the green industry. He worked for professors who studied turfgrass and for a friend who had started a sod farm. The seeds were sown, so to speak, for the things to come.
Tom graduated and took a job as an inspector for the Turf and Seed Certification Section at the University of Maryland Department of Agriculture, and travelled throughout the state inspecting crops. He began developing relationships with the sod-folks who would eventually become his mentors and peers. After working for the State of Maryland, Tom managed a seed wholesale facility for the Vaughan Jacklin Seed Corporation, and worked with sod growers throughout the region, going to sod industry events and expanding his circle of sod-buddies even wider. The groundwork for his culminating achievement, Lavery’s Sod Farm, was continuously being cultivated.
At the end of 1979, Tom took a job with the Virginia Crop Improvement Association in the Agronomy Department at Virginia Tech, travelling Virginia inspecting crops and growing his network of sod comrades. Eventually, when his position at Tech was being relocated to Richmond, Tom did a lot of soul-searching and concluded that living in a metropolitan area was not the route he wanted to take. In 1982, Tom decided to dive-in to the sod business, dragging Pat, his parents and pre-teen daughter with him. It was a trial-by-fire, and water (see: Roanoke Flood of ’85)
Tom started with a walk-behind sod cutter and a dream. The dream evolved into a motto: “We Roll Quality Grass at Lavery’s Sod Farm,” (a logo deemed inappropriate for a teenager’s t-shirt by some of Katie’s high school teachers!). Tom grew amazing grass, and he loved it. He loved working with the soil and the people. He loved going to state, regional, and international sod meetings and learning more about turfgrass and sod-related equipment. Tom and his family grew the business slowly, renting more acreage and acquiring more equipment. Mistakes were made, and lessons learned, but the business endured. Tom established deep roots in the region, developing friendships with customers and suppliers. He took tremendous pride in his product. He was thrilled to supply sod for Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech, back when the Hokies still played football on a cool season turfgrass athletic surface. And Tom’s heart was broken when Tech ripped out his beloved Kentucky bluegrass and transitioned to a warm season turfgrass (bermudagrass) in the late ‘90’s. So long season tickets and parking passes!
Besides family, friends, soil and sod, Tom’s other loves included sports, food, music (classic country, Motown and gospel), NASCAR, traveling, singing, and laughing. He was a storyteller and animal lover. He hated confrontation and he loved a good movie. Before Parkinson’s ravaged his body, mind, and spirit, he loved working out and being around people. He loved growing and supplying southwestern Virginia with gorgeous grass.
Tom spent his last 11 years at Salem Terrace at Harrogate, now Friendship Salem Terrace. His family would like to extend their love and gratitude to the entire community of staff and caregivers there. They became his extended family and got him through some difficult years. Good Samaritan Hospice augmented Tom’s care since summer 2022. The staff and volunteers of Good Samaritan were wonderful. They watched over Tom and his daughter throughout Tom’s last chapter. Salem Terrace and Good Samaritan are forever written on Katie’s and his sister, Jen’s, hearts.
Tom requested that no funeral service be held, so no formal service is planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, Tom and his family would be honored by donations to any Parkinson’s related organization, such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation, to Good Samaritan Hospice, or to your favorite charity.
