1952 – 2023
Tom Trigalet lived his life as a servant leader. He was a servant leader to his family, his friends, and the many lives he influenced.
He started his career as a teacher and coach and held jobs as assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent and finished his 47th year in public education as supervisor of principals on the Navajo reservation in Window Rock, Arizona.
He was proud of his students: those he coached and taught in Sapulpa, Bristow, Cushing, and Collinsville. While in Sapulpa he worked with the Native American community, and graphic artists to design the new “SC” logo for the Sapulpa Chieftains.
Also, his students, who were fellow educators, benefitted from the many summers he volunteered for “Principals Academy”. Through Principals Academy, he mentored most of the public-school administrators in Oklahoma and made lifelong friends.
During his tenure as President of the Oklahoma Secondary Principals Association and his service on the board of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association, he was a part of making changes to policies that benefitted most of the students in Oklahoma.
He was proud of his family. He told many a story of growing up in a household of nine children with a few neighborhood kids sprinkled in here and there. He has a large extended family with many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.
He was proud of his faith. As a lifelong Catholic, he lived by the principles he learned early in life and never wavered, even when times were tough.
He leaves behind his wife, Jo of the home, son, Grant Glover of Alto, Texas, Stepson, Matt Lewis and wife Laurie of Cleveland, Oklahoma. He was “Papa Tom” to Gaige and Gib Glover, “Gramp Tom” to Beckett Lewis and “Papa” to Lincoln and J.T. Gilbert. Four siblings, Mary Jane Trigalet, Jeannette Goodman, Suzette Trigalet and Joe Trigalet. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jean and Myra Trigalet, four siblings, Butch, Bobby, Annette, and Connie Trigalet.
