Thomas R. Draper ’68
Thomas R. Draper ’68 died on April 23 after a long illness. Originally from Villanova, Pennsylvania, at Dartmouth Tom was a government major, active at WDCR and a member of the Marching Band and Phi Tau. Tom was known for his interest in older cars, and at one point he was working on a deal to buy a staff car once used by Hitler. Failing that, he bought an old Buick originally driven by a chauffeur. He was a standup comedian, performing at the Hop. Tom loved old vinyl records and led his fraternity brothers to New York City’s 6th Avenue subway station arcade record store. After Dartmouth Tom’s career spanned pioneering days at TelRa films in Philadelphia and executive roles in marketing and communication at multiple companies, including General Electric and the Square D Co. Tom was a nationally recognized model builder specializing in World War I and II airplanes. He had a love for American popular music—encompassing blues, doo-wop, and early rock and roll—and had an extensive record collection. A lifelong lover of cars, Tom found freedom and camaraderie behind the wheel of his cherished automobiles, including the Mazda Miata, Triumph TR 3, and Mini Cooper; he served as president of the Miata Club of Greater Cincinnati. He was an alumni interviewer for Dartmouth between 1986 and 2002. Tom’s father, Ernest, was a member of the class of ’35. Tom is survived by brothers Stephen ’71 and Lawrence and son Charles.
