Roll Call Tribute

Thomas Leighton Dashiell
July 7, 1931 - October 29, 2022

Thomas Leighton Dashiell, Sr., died peacefully on October 29, 2022 at his home in Boerne, Texas. He was blessed to be with loved ones and family members after his battle with cancer.

Dashiell, a native San Antonian, was born over 91 years ago on July 7, 1931. His mother, Frances Marie Leighton, married George R. Dashiell, MD. They lived in Brownsville, Texas where he had purchased a medical practice. Tom (aka Leighton) spent his childhood there and the family welcomed two more children, his sisters Patricia (Peacha) and Cynthia.

At the age of 17, Leighton was accepted to Texas A & M, and spent four years in the Corps. Upon graduation, he was commissioned by the Army as an officer and bravely fought in the Korean War. After returning stateside, Captain Dashiell continued to be passionate about his service to his country. He remained in the Army reserves while pursuing his MBA at UT Austin. While there, he met his first wife, Patricia Hess. Their son, Tom Jr, was born in Brownsville and their first daughter Sasha was born in Houston where the family settled for a few years. Tom started selling life insurance and after visiting San Francisco for an insurance convention, he was drawn to the opportunities in California. He decided to move to California to grow his expanding life insurance business. They settled in the San Francisco Bay Area and had their third child, Linda.

In his continued allegiance to his country and military, Tom served in the Army Reserves. In 1961, he was recalled to active duty to serve during the Berlin Crisis and temporarily moved his family to Fort Lewis, Washington. His youngest child, Janet, was born while they were stationed at Fort Lewis. After serving the family returned to California.

Though a devoted Texan, he spent many years of his life in Northern California. He raised his family in Los Gatos and Saratoga while his business in life & health insurance prospered. A savvy real estate investor, he built a portfolio of residential properties throughout Santa Clara County.

Several years after Tom’s divorce, he met and married his love, Toni Anne Colace.

In 1995, Tom and Toni Anne decided to move back to his roots in Texas and settled in the small Hill Country town of Boerne, near San Antonio. They built a successful real estate/property management business, two homes and became active members of the Boerne community. He and Toni Anne traveled the world extensively when they weren’t enjoying their beautiful home, they built overlooking the rolling hills and Boerne Lake.

Both Tom and Toni Anne shared a passion for politics. Tom served as President of the Kendall County Republican Club and precinct chair for the Kendall County Republican Party.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Toni Anne Dashiell, his son, Thomas L. Dashiell, Jr. and his wife Rosalina of Gilroy, CA, and his three daughters: Sasha Dashiell St. John and her husband Sabastian of Nevada City, CA, Linda Dashiell (Hansell) of Gilroy, CA and Janet Dashiell and her partner Bill McCluskey of San Jose, CA. He has two cherished grandchildren: James Ryan Hansell and Cortney Hansell. He is also survived by his sister, Cynthia Britton, and numerous nieces and nephews; mother-in-law, Alice Colace, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and their children: Joe and Sally Colace, Bill and Barbara Colace, Marla and Mike Todd, and Kathy and Johnny Laurainaints.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Peacha and her husband Virgil.

In lieu of floral arrangements, his family requests memorial donations be made to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Association or a charity of your choice.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, November 20, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Holt & Holt Funeral Home, with a recitation of the Rosary to begin at 7:00 PM. Funeral Mass will be held Monday, November 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, with committal to follow at 2:30 PM at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of the staff of Holt & Holt Funeral Home of Boerne. To share words of comfort with the family, please visit www.holtfh.com.