Thomas Maddox Savage

 Thomas Maddox Savage, born April 05 1951, after living a long and storied life, has moved on to find his next adventure. Tom was a “Jack of all Trades” and “Master of Many”. He started working for his grandfather, Wyle Maddox, around the age of 7, feeding cows. Later, he went to work for his grandfather on the first Assateague Bridge around 9 years of age. He continued working for his grandfather, learning to rope and ride, herd cows and horses. He learned to operate heavy equipment from his family, consisting of his father Lawrence, Uncle Wayne, and grandfather Wyle. They taught him about Heavy construction, dredging, and commercial diving. Over the years, growing up, he learned about clamming and oystering from his father and his grandfather, Brattie Savage. Hunting was a passion that he learned from his father and continued throughout his life. At the age of 16, he quit school and went to work on the freight boat Louella with his father in the Bahamas. In his 20s, he took up home construction and worked for the Reeds, Umplets, and the Filipics. Though he had dabbled in decoy-making as a younger man, it was while working construction that he became serious about carving decoys. That was a career that lasted him the rest of his working days. He quit construction and carved full-time working decoy shows and wholesale. He was a charter member of the Chincoteague Decoy Carvers Association and helped found the Easter Decoy Festival. He eventually moved to Hallwood, became a chicken farmer, and maintained his close relationship with livestock while continuing to carve. While working and caring for the farm, Tom also helped found Boy Scout Troop 323 and was the scoutmaster for a number of years. He taught his scouts about self-respect and respect for others. He taught them about camping and the outdoors, and often carried several of his scouts hunting.  After his father passed and his mother became ill, he moved back to Chincoteague to care for his mother. While there, he carved, worked the water, and worked as a motorcycle mechanic.

              Tom was a loving and devoted husband and father; he is survived by his devoted wife, Juanita Savage; his son, Aaron Savage; his wife, Rocio; his stepson, Craig Birch; and his two grandsons, Logan Savage and Jacob Savage. Tom has two nieces, Lou Mavoromatis, who was often like a sister, and Annie Parks. Greg Harris should also be recognized, his best friend through many years, as close as any brother he could have ever had. There are many more family members, of course, this being Chincoteague. Tom was predeceased by his mother and father, Lawrence and Media Savage, and his sister Maylawrence Hickman. Reading may seem like so many words, but they are few compared to his deeds. 

Services entrusted to Salyer Funeral Home Inc. Condolences may be made online at www.salyerfh.com

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