June 23, 2026
The Trine University community is grieving the loss of alumnus, longtime trustee,
and namesake of the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts, Dr. Tomas Furth.
Dr. Furth passed away June 19, 2026. He was 95.
“I was privileged to first get to know Dr. Furth through his generous support of the Franks School of Education when I was dean. His joyful spirit, inquisitive nature, deep belief in the power of education and kindness were truly unique,” said Tony Kline, Ph.D., Trine University president. “Though his legacy will live on through the lives he touched on campus and his many gifts to the university and through his son’s addition to our Board of Trustees, we will still greatly miss Dr. Furth’s presence. Our deepest condolences are with his wife Ema and all his family.”
“Dr. Furth was truly a Renaissance man who directly impacted the entire Trine University campus and its surrounding community through his generous support,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University chancellor. “His dedication, passion and loyalty are reflected in the scholarship he and his wife established for engineering students. His love and interest for the arts and music is shown in the facility that bears his name. He demonstrated his value for education through the funding he provided to support Trine University’s teacher education programs.”
“Dr. Furth graduated from Tri-State with not just one but two challenging engineering degrees, then went on to become an outstanding business leader,” said Dr. Rick L. James, chair of Trine University’s Board of Trustees. “His financial acumen, leadership and management experiences have been of tremendous value to Trine University during his tenure. He was truly a student advocate and a strong leader and supporter of quality higher education.”
Mechanical, chemical engineering degrees
Born April 10, 1931, in Argentina, Dr. Furth attended what was then Tri-State College by recommendation of that nation’s U.S. cultural attaché.
He graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1955.
He went on to become the director of United Merchants and Manufacturers and the president of Sudamtex Group, which produced and marketed natural textiles and synthetic fabrics for the garment industry, as well as fiberglass products for the oil, marine, construction and automotive industries.
He also served as the director and principal shareholder of Cametion Corporation in the United States and Fudelar Corporation in Argentina.
He enjoyed collecting original books of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries on South America.
Generous support
Dr. Furth had a long history of support for Trine University’s annual and athletic funds and campus development. He and his wife Ema established the Tomas Furth Scholarship Fund in 1992 to support mechanical and chemical engineering students.
Tri-State University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 1994. He joined the Board of Trustees in 1997. His service on the board includes the finance, audit and investment committees.
In 2009, he made a significant contribution to the university’s new performing arts center, resulting in the naming of the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts, which was dedicated in 2014. The project preserved a historical Angola landmark, the former Angola Christian Church, while creating a beautiful, functional space for music and theatrical performances for the community and a learning center with the latest technology for Trine's music and drama students.
Trine University awarded Dr. Furth the Pillar of Success in 2014. The award is the university’s highest honor, recognizing individuals for their achievements and accomplishments, leadership, service, philanthropy and commitment to their community, their profession and Trine University.
Since 2019, Dr. Furth has donated $500,000 to support the teacher education programs at Trine, transforming classrooms inside Shambaugh Hall and funding training for Franks School of Education faculty.
“Dr. Furth’s legacy will live on in the generations of students who will be inspired by well-trained, caring educators thanks to his generosity,” said Alecia Pfefferkorn, dean of the Franks School of Education.
His son, Alexander J. Furth, joined Trine University’s Board of Trustees last year.
Other service
In addition to his service at Trine, Dr. Furth was a member of Financiera La Seguridad for Venezuela Bank from 1985-90, the advisory board of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1991-97 and a board member of United Merchants from 1980-89.
As we prepare to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) on June 23, it’s a great time to reflect on how far women have come in engineering fields as well as to assess opportunities for improvement.
Three “Birdies, Brews and Barbecues” events remain for 2026 at Trine University’s Club Z.
Trine University is offering select prerequisite coursework at a reduced tuition rate of $150 per credit hour for students planning to apply to the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program beginning January 2027.