Tomson honored for service

His community and civic affiliations have included his membership with American Legion Post 4, the Orangeburg Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Orangeburg. He’s served as board chairman for such groups as the Orangeburg County Council in Aging, Edisto Habitat for Humanity and the Orangeburg County Disabilities and Special Needs Board.

Tomson championed senior issues as a representative of the state’s first Silver-Haired Legislature and served as the director of the Orangeburg County Department of Social Services from 1979 to 1998.

He began service in the U.S. Air Force in 1954, retiring as a master sergeant in 1974. For the first six years, he was hospital foreman before completely changing fields to become an aviation physiology instructor.

Tomson has led a fulfilling life working for causes that are important to him.

He was recognized last week with a building dedication and plaque presentation ceremony at Amelia Village, a senior housing complex in Orangeburg. He previously served 16 years as board chairman.

It was an honor Tomson appreciated.

“It’s been a labor of love. It’s just been a great group of people to work with. I think we’ve done a good job,” said Tomson, who was flanked by his family members and friends, including his grandchildren and two sons, Chester and Michael.

“We’ve got a lot of people that’s got a nice home to live in now. I guess what touches my heart the most is that they’re all senior citizens like I am. I might have to get a room somewhere,” he said, laughing.

NHE Inc. is the real estate management company that manages Amelia Village. NHE Chief Executive Officer Harris B. Davis said Tomson’s fiscally prudent leadership lifted the 44-unit Amelia Village from a mountain of debt and led to the creation of five other elderly housing complexes.

“From Amelia Village and $50,000 worth of debt, we are what we are today under the capable leadership of Mr. Chet Tomson. Today we’re honoring Chet Tomson, a gentleman that’s quiet, but always knows where he wants to go. He’s firm in his leadership. There’s only one way to do it, and that’s right. And he’s always held out. Many times he didn’t take the cheapest price. He was looking for quality,” Davis said.

Patricia Sherman, NHE vice president of affordable property management, said she, too, enjoyed working with Tomson.

“I know the residents here don’t get to see you day to day, but you were instrumental in everything that we needed to do here and keeping things moving in a positive direction. All of the property that you have been involved with have truly benefited,” Sherman said.

Amelia Village resident Ruth Kelly thanked Tomson for assisting in upgrades at the complex and wished him a “blessed retirement.”

“Thank you so much for having those floors renovated for us. I’m in one of those apartments that don’t have the wood floor, and I appreciate it. I love it and I’m enjoying it,” Kelly said.

The additional complexes built during Tomson’s chairmanship include: Holly Way I and II in Holly Hill; Morgan Lane in North; Otts Branch in Branchville; and Elloree Smith Senior Living in Elloree.

The Asbury, New Jersey, native and his wife, Esther, have lived in Orangeburg since 1979. He considers his Orangeburg community family.

“It’s hard to go uptown and not know somebody. You’re constantly running into somebody that you’ve known, seen or worked with one time or another. I can’t go to Bi-Lo without seeing one of my former employees from DSS,” he said, smiling.

Tomson described the building dedication as “out of this world.”

“It’s an honor and pleasure. It’s nice to be recognized for what you’ve done, but there’s been just as many other people doing as much somewhere in the process. You can’t build a place like this by yourself,” he said.

Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have made the building development possible, along with the hard work of other local team members, Tomson said.

“Harris’ philosophy just matched mine so good. He would say, ‘If that apartment is not good enough for my mother, I don’t want to build it.’ I felt the same way. We’ve got about 165 senior citizens that have adequate housing now that they didn’t have,” he said.

Santee Mayor Donnie Hilliard, an Amelia Village board member, said he’s known Tomson since the 1970s.

“Chet is the reason I’m on the board. We started out at DSS together, and then from DSS, I became the county administrator. … At the time, his vision was always conceptually for those that were in need. The thing that I loved about it was that it wasn’t just Orangeburg,” Hilliard said. “He thought about the whole community of Orangeburg and still thinks that way.”

Herbert Tait, Amelia Village board president, said, “I’ve been on the board for probably five or six years, but Chet has built a great base for hopefully money being available so we can expand to other parts of Orangeburg. That’s our goal.”