A local educator whose love for history ultimately led him to serving in local government.
Biography
Tom Pool’s life in Claremore began with his family’s move here when he was in the fifth grade. He went on to graduate from Claremore High School where he was named captain of the football team as a junior, the first time that honor had been bestowed upon an underclassman.
Pool graduated from Central State College (now the University of Central Oklahoma) and received a Master’s degree from Northeastern State in Tahlequah before embarking on a career in education that took him to New Mexico and California. In 1968, he returned to Claremore, where he coached and taught social studies at the junior high school.
It was while teaching social studies that Pool made his first run for public office, seeking a seat on the Claremore City Council. Eventually, following Mayor Stan Thomas’ death while in office, Pool stepped in to helm the city, and later was elected mayor.
One his best attributes has always been surrounding himself with people who “know how to get things done.” That’s continued in service as a volunteer, which has been extensive. Pool was chair of the Claremore Museum of History, where he led a diverse group of volunteers dedicated to saving and preserving the city’s history. Tom is married to Barbra and they have two children.