Tom Harpool was born in 1918 in the southeast corner of Denton County in what is now the town of Hebron and he lived in Denton until 2009.

 

In his lifetime of 91 years, he earned the friendship and respect of numerous people all over the country. Mr. Harpool was a successful businessman, and more importantly, a great community leader. He served on the Denton ISD school board, including many years as the Board's President, during integration and times of tremendous growth. Many local organizations that benefited from Mr. Harpool’s guidance and generosity include Denton Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts of America, United Way of Denton County, Denton Public Utility Board, Upper Trinity Regional Water District, Good Samaritan Village, Denton Citizens Water Commission, Denton City Charter Commission, Texas Municipal Power Agency, Men’s Garden Club, NTSU Alumni Association, and the Denton State School.

 

When he died, he received lavish praise from dozens of institutions and individuals who had benefited greatly from his help and guidance. Because of his contributions to the Denton Independent School District, the Tom Harpool Middle School in Lantana is dedicated to his memory.