Thomas Harold Elston, DVM, 75, of Irvine, California passed away on February 18, 2024 following a long battle with cancer.  Known for his patience and gentle touch with people and animals alike, Tom was a pioneering veterinarian who was at the forefront of feline veterinary medicine for more than forty years.

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Tom was the oldest of Roger and Lois Elston’s five children.  The family eventually moved to Ashtabula, Ohio, where Tom spent much of his youth and graduated high school.  He attended the College of Wooster and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and then went to Colorado State University where he graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Tom and his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts where he founded T.H.E. Boston Cat Hospital, one of the first practices in the country specializing in cat-only veterinary care.  Several years later, the family moved to Irvine, California, ultimately opening more cat-only practices in Southern California.  He served as President and Executive Board Member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and Executive Committee Chair of the VMG18 Veterinary Study Group.

In addition to his love of animals, Tom was an avid outdoorsman and would spend much of his free time biking, kayaking and camping with his family.  On these adventures, he regularly showed an understated brand of toughness.  Never more so than the time he crashed and broke his hands while mountain biking in Moab but continued riding for several days before finally returning home to self-administer an x-ray exam that confirmed the broken bones.

Amongst his family, Tom was also particularly celebrated for his special-occasion waffle making, his quiet exploration of silence and, most importantly, his capacity to make everyone feel deeply loved.  The recent arrival of his four grandchildren brought him great joy and they in turn loved their time with Grandpa T.

Tom is survived by his three sons, Nathan, Devin and Teal; four grandchildren, Ellie, Nova, Parker and Forest; his mother, Lois; sisters Marcia and Nancy; brother David; eight nephews and one niece; partner, Cheryl; former spouses Kathy and Debbie; and cats Flint and Figaro.  He is predeceased by his father Roger and sister Amy.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/thomas-elston/obituary/

Copy