Thomas James Carruthers, 71, of Galesburg, Illinois, died at 1:04 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2026, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria, Illinois.
Tom was born July 24, 1954, in Moline, Illinois, the son of James Alex and June (Fraikes) Carruthers. Tom was united in marriage to Glenda Sue Akers on August 10, 1974, at the Toulon Methodist Church, Toulon, Illinois. Shortly after, Tom began working for the U.S. Postal Service, a career that spanned 36 years, retiring in 2013.
Tom is survived by his wife of 51 years, Glenda; a son, Tyson Carruthers of Hollywood, Maryland; and eight grandchildren, Tyler, Addisyn, MacKenzie, Lyric, Dax, and Johniyah, Johnalyn, and J.T., whom Glenda and Tom had been raising since 2022. Tom was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Carruthers, on October 20, 2022; his parents; and a nephew.
Tom was an avid Green Bay Packers fan and New York Yankees fan. Family meant the most to Tom — he loved his grandchildren more than anything.
Cremation will be accorded. No public services will be held. Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg. Memorial contributions may be made in Tom’s memory to a charity of the donor’s choosing. Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.watsonthomas.com.
