Thomas Spackman, 74, Realtor, historic preservationist

Thomas Spackman, 74, a Realtor and property manager who was passionate about historic preservation, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, of heart failure at his home on Thornbury Farm in West Chester.

Mr. Spackman's family first settled in Chester County in the 1770s. In 1948, his parents purchased a farm in Thornbury Township.

Some of the property lies along the Meetinghouse Road corridor, where much of the fighting during the Battle of the Brandywine occurred on Sept. 11, 1777. The battle, one of the Revolutionary War's bloodiest and biggest conflicts, was one of the few times that Gens. George Washington and Sir William Howe faced each other directly.

In 2000, Mr. Spackman worked out an agreement with Chester County to preserve his land along the corridor as open space. He told The Inquirer: "Our vision is that 100 years from now, someone will be able to stand on this property and see exactly what Washington and Howe saw."

Mr. Spackman was the owner of Spackman Associates in West Chester, a real estate and property management firm. In the 1980s and 1990s, he held political offices in Thornbury Township, including that of supervisor for two years, justice of the peace for 12 years, and of police commissioner for several years. He was a Republican committeeman for 30 years.

Mr. Spackman was a member of the West Chester Rotary Club, the West Chester Chamber of Commerce, the Chester County Historical Society, and the Chester County Art Alliance. He served on the board of the Chester County SPCA and was a founding member of Planned Parenthood-West Chester. In the 1970s, he operated the Gift Horse, an art gallery and shop in West Chester.

Mr. Spackman graduated from Wilmington Friends School and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

He enlisted in the Army in 1963 and, after active duty in the United States, served in the Army Reserve.

Mr. Spackman is survived by a son, Randell; a daughter, Erica; a sister; four granddaughters; and his former wives Susan Spackman and Sandra Betner.

A funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Church of the Loving Shepherd, 1066 S. New St., West Chester, Pa. 19382. Friends may call from 2 p.m. Burial will be in Birmingham-Lafayette Cemetery, West Chester.

Donations may be made to the church or to the Concept School, 1120 E. Street Rd., Westtown, Pa. 19395.