Thomas Robert Vargas

GODDARD - Thomas “Tom” Robert Vargas, 53, passed away June 25, 2013, at his home in Goddard. Tom was born February 13, 1960 in Liberal, Kansas. There he attended high school and spent his youth working in the Vargas Caf, a restaurant established by his family. After high school, he began a career in the auto-body business in Liberal, where he established and operated Toms Body Shop and Roberts Body Shop. In 1987, he became involved part-time in the automotive insurance appraisal business and worked with Crawford Company which later led him to a full-time career in the industry. In 1999, he relocated to Goddard and soon began his own company, Vehicle Damage Appraisers, which he managed and operated until his passing. Tom was very well-known for his love of Corvettes, Harley Davidson motorcycles and his passion for bowling. From the time he was a teenager, he was an avid, competitive bowler and drag-racer. Throughout several years, he traveled and raced many levels of high performance drag cars. He was a Harley-Davidson enthusiast who enjoyed cruising his motorcycles and collecting Harley-Davidson memorabilia. He is survived by his three children, Robert Vargas of Wichita, Shantel Vargas of Nashville, TN, and Brooke Vargas of Wichita; three brothers, Henry Vargas of Houston, TX., Fred Vargas and Willie Vargas both of Liberal, and his sister Mary Vargas of Pittsburgh, PA. He was preceded in death by his father, Enrique Vargas; mother, Berta (Romo) Windsor, and his sister, Raquel Vargas Floyd. Visitation with the family will be 6-8 p.m., Sunday, June 30; Service, 10 a.m., Monday, July 1, both at Downing Lahey Mortuary West. Private inurnment services will be held in Liberal at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Toms children ask for memorial donations to the Harley-Davidson Foundation, In Memory of Thomas R. Vargas, 3700 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208. The Foundation helps support numerous charities throughout the nation.