Thomas "Tom" Eugene Dover, Sr.

A Memorial Service for Thomas Dover, Sr., will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at the First Presbyterian Church, 104 S. 10th St, Norfolk.  The Reverend Brian Johnson will be officiating.  Visitation with family will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, December 3, 2021 at Home for Funerals, 1203 W. Norfolk Avenue, Norfolk.  Inurnment will be at Crown Hill Cemetery.

He passed away in the early morning hours on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021 at Faith Regional Health Services after a fall in his home at the age of 88.

Tom was born on the family farm near Madison, Nebraska on March 16, 1933 to Clifford E. and Agnes (Lieber) Dover both of Madison.  Tom married Sherry “Tod” June Chmeler on August 8, 1953.  They moved to a farm that they named Sunnydale Dairy Farm where they had a herd of milk cows.  They were soulmates, you rarely saw one without the other and were happily married for over 68 years.

Tom felt the bulk milk cooling tank would revolutionize the dairy industry, so he supplemented his farm income by selling them throughout eastern Nebraska.  Tom appreciated that the harder he worked, the more success he obtained, a truth not always applicable to farming. 

Sales appealed to Tom, so he went to career aptitude testing in Chicago, Illinois.  The results directed him toward real estate and the rest is history.  In 1963, Tom started his own company, Dover Realty, in a small office located in the Hotel Madison (now the Kensington) near the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.  Tom was proud to hire the first woman real estate agent in Norfolk, started the Multiple Listing Service where all Realtors could work together for the benefit of the public and started the Realtors Political Action Committee in Nebraska.  Tom was proud of the professionalism of the Sales Associates and staff at Coldwell Banker Dover Realtors, Dover Management Company and American Title & Escrow.

A visionary, Tom’s accomplishments were numerous from Local Realtor Board President, State Association President to National Director, State Realtor of the Year, Nebraska Real Estate Commissioner, Ed Vrzal Award and Norfolk Oscar for outstanding community service, Nebraska Diplomat, Greater Norfolk Economic Development Foundation, Director for Habitat for Humanity and many other associations and organizations.  Tom was a member of First Presbyterian Church, the Masonic Lodge, the Elks Lodge, and was a Shriner.

Tom had a lust for life, a stockcar driver, pilot, sailing the Bahamas with friends, political advocate, International Wine & Food Member, scotch enthusiast, and lover of jazz music.  He enjoyed his season tickets to the Holland and the performances of trumpeters Chris Botti and Arturo Sandoval.

Tom always found peace around water.  The “Cabin” at Hideaway Acres was Tom’s refuge with Lewis & Clark Lake mirroring the White Cliffs of Dover in England.  The Dover family enjoyed their cabin friends, James, Ballantynes, Steinmans, Ottes, and countless guests over the years.  Many of the grandchildren’s favorite memories of Grandpa were at the lake.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, sister Priscilla M. Peterson of Madison and brother, John Paul Dover.  He is survived by his wife; sons Thomas (Marilyn) Dover, Jr. and Robert (Ann) Dover; grandchildren, Randi Susan Langan, Katherine (Kat) Joan Dover, Erica Tod Daake, Richard Clifford Dover, Katelyn Ashley Dover, James Corey Dover, Jonathan Thomas Dover; great-grandchildren Valerie Vettraino, Leo Grabbe, Henry Langan, Jude Langan, and Dutton Daake.

People wishing to honor Tom’s lifelong commitment to the community and home ownership may make donations to Habitat for Humanity PO Box 1251, Norfolk, NE 68702-1251

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