Twenty years ago, when most headstones erected in the UK were still made here, there were not many produced without the contribution of a flexible drive tool made by Flextol. Many who can remember those days will have fond memories of Tom Marshall, the Chairman of Flextol, especially those who used to attend the NAMM Tradex exhibitions.

Tom died on 18 September, his funeral taking place at St Cuthbert’s, Great Glen in Leicestershire, on 3 October.

Tom joined Flextol in 1958 as a sales representative for the 16 counties in the centre of the UK. He became Sales Director and eventually the family bought the company from the widow of Malcolm Whattler after Malcolm died 30 years ago.

In 1989 Flextol was relocated from Ealing in London to Broughton Astley, Leicestershire. At that time Tom’s son, Stuart, and daughter, Lindsay, joined the company, which they now run. Tom’s wife, Una, was Company Secretary for many years but died in July last year.

Flextol was one of the original members of the National Association of Memorial Masons and Stuart says: “I remember my Dad going to all the Stone exhibitions over the years with NAMM and taking an active part in the after-show proceedings every evening.”

Tom often spoke fondly of those exhibitions. He made many friends in the stone industry through Flextol, although he was not actively involved with the company in recent years due to bouts of ill health following a major transplant operation 20 years ago.

As well as his children, Tom leaves four grandchildren and a great-grandchild born just a week before Tom died.

He will be missed in the family and among his peers in both the stone trade and the metal polishing sector where Flextol tools are also widely used.