Roll Call Tribute

Thomas Winston "Tom" Smith 

March 16, 1935 - December 1, 2023 

Tom Smith, the longtime President of Calcot, Ltd., passed away surrounded by family on December 1, 2023 at the age of 88.

Thomas Winston Smith was born to Lance and Willie Mae (Little) Smith in Crosby County, on the Texas high plains. He was the third of four brothers who were raised on Texas cotton farms. When Tom was eight years old, the family returned to the their ancestral region to farm outside of Lawn, south of Abilene.

Tom excelled in academics and sports in his high school class of nine students. He attended Texas A&M University and graduated in 1957 with a degree in agricultural economics. With strong recommendations from professors, Tom interviewed and obtained a job at Calcot upon graduation. After moving to Bakersfield as a 22 year-old who had never been outside of Texas, he advanced through the corporation, working in every aspect of the business. As a young executive, he completed studies in management development at the Harvard Business School. Tom also served in the U.S. Army Reserves, attaining the rank of Captain.

In 1958, Tom married Patricia Zachary, the daughter of an Old River cotton farmer. Their marriage began a life of love and enjoyment along with a commitment to each other, family, their long-lasting friendships, the community and the cotton industry. Tom was always proud and supportive of Pat's service on the Bakersfield City Council.

In 1977, Tom became President of Calcot, the largest cotton marketing organization in the Western U.S., at the age of 42. Over his career, he worked for the grower-owned cooperative for forty-five years and was President and CEO for twenty-five years before retiring in 2002. During that time Tom was a leader in the cotton industry, serving as president and chairman of the National Cotton Council, Cotton Council International, and a board member of the New York Cotton Exchange. He was appointed by two secretaries of agriculture to serve on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee and was inducted into the Cotton Hall of Fame. In an era when cotton was the single largest crop in the San Joaquin Valley and Arizona, he headed a sales team that marketed many millions of bales, exporting the majority to textile mills around the world. He also represented the interests of western cotton growers in Washington, D.C., New York and throughout the industry.

Many organizations sought his counsel and he served for nearly forty years as a board member and chairman of the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital board of directors, chairman of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and was a graduate fellow of the California Agricultural Leadership Program. He was honored by Texas A&M with the Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Tom was also a longtime member of the Downtown Bakersfield Rotary Club and numerous other community organizations.

Tom was kind, thoughtful and exceptionally patient. He was a true gentleman whose word was his bond. He approached life with a quiet determination and perseverance, an overriding sense of duty and boundless energy. Tom was blessed with an analytical mind and a practical problem-solving approach. Notwithstanding his professional accomplishments, he was proudest of his family and treasured time with his children and grandchildren.

Tom and Pat were married 63 years before Pat's passing in 2022. Tom is survived by his children Janna Gosselin (Craig) and T. Mark Smith (Juliet Crites) and five grandchildren: Kyle and Ryan Gosselin and Thomas, Benjamin and Grace Smith. He is also survived by his younger brother Roland Smith (Melody) of College Station, Texas, sister-in-law Jo Reta Smith of Lawn, Texas and numerous nephews and nieces. In addition to his wife Patricia, he was predeceased by his parents and brothers Travis and Delmon Smith.

A memorial service to celebrate Tom's life will be held at Trinity Anglican Church, 11300 Campus Park Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93311 on December 21, 2023 at 10:00 am.