(ANGOLA) - The Trine University community is mourning the loss of longtime trustee, alumnus and benefactor Dr. Tomas Furth.
Furth died June 19 at the age of 95.
Born in Argentina in 1931, Furth came to what was then Tri-State College on the recommendation of a U.S. cultural attaché. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1954 and a second bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1955.
After graduation, Furth built a career in international business, serving as president of the Sudamtex Group and holding leadership positions with several companies in South America and the United States.
His impact on Trine University spanned decades.
In 1992, Furth and his wife, Ema, established the Tomas Furth Scholarship Fund to support mechanical and chemical engineering students. He received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Tri-State University in 1994 and joined the university's Board of Trustees in 1997.
Many local residents know his name from the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts in downtown Angola.
Furth made a major contribution toward the performing arts center in 2009, leading to the facility being named in his honor. The center was dedicated in 2014 after the restoration of the former Angola Christian Church.
Furth also provided significant support for Trine's teacher education programs. Since 2019, he donated $500,000 to help fund classroom improvements and faculty training within the Franks School of Education.
In 2014, Trine University awarded Furth its Pillar of Success Award, the institution's highest honor.
University officials said Furth's legacy will continue through the students, programs and facilities his generosity helped support.
His son, Alexander J. Furth, joined Trine University's Board of Trustees in 2025.