Tom & Julia Webb Community Fund
Through the Tom & Julia Webb Community Fund, Tom is creating a permanent source of support for Pangman, the community that has been at the heart of so much of his life.
Tom's love for the community of Pangman
For Tom Webb, a strong community is something worth fighting to preserve. Throughout a life spanning nearly a century, Tom has continually stepped forward when the people and places around him needed someone willing to act. From farming the Saskatchewan prairie to preserving a local railway, supporting the Weyburn Red Wings, and strengthening his hometown of Pangman, Tom’s story is one defined by determination, hard work, and an enduring commitment to community.
Born in 1929, Tom was one of 11 children and learned the realities of hard work from an early age. Growing up during difficult times shaped both his outlook on life and the values he would carry with him for decades. He remembers deciding early on that he wanted to accomplish more for himself, but no matter how successful he became, Tom never lost sight of where he came from. Much of Tom’s life has been tied to the land and the community surrounding Pangman. Farming in one of the driest regions of the Canadian Prairies was never easy, but Tom became accustomed to overcoming the odds. He built his life through perseverance, careful financial management, and a willingness to take risks when necessary. His philosophy remained to “work hard, manage what you have, and never spend beyond your means.”
That commitment can be seen throughout Pangman and beyond. In 1999, Tom purchased a short-line railway connecting Pangman and Assiniboia and helped place it into community ownership. Without the effort Tom spearheaded, the railway could have disappeared entirely, affecting Pangman and the other communities along the line. Years later, at the age of 90, Tom purchased Redcoat Ag in Pangman. For Tom, it was about the opportunity to preserve something important to his community and support the farmers who continue to call the area home. His impact has also extended well beyond Pangman. Beginning in the 1980s, Tom became deeply involved with the Weyburn Red Wings, eventually taking full ownership of the team for seven years. His leadership and financial support helped sustain the organization through a period when its future was uncertain. Tom’s dedication to community extended to the Weyburn Red Wings, where his leadership and financial support helped sustain the team during a challenging period. Under his ownership, the Red Wings won the Centennial Cup in 1984, an achievement that remains one of Tom’s proudest memories. When his time with the team came to an end, he made sure it belonged to the community of Weyburn, helping establish the community-owned organization that continues today.
At 97, Tom established the Tom & Julia Webb Community Fund, named in honor of himself and his late wife, Julia, as a way to ensure his commitment to Pangman continues for generations. Through the fund, Tom is creating a permanent source of support for the community that has been at the heart of so much of his life. For Tom, philanthropy is ultimately about leaving something meaningful behind. Having no children of his own, he has thought carefully about what his lifetime of work can accomplish for others.
“I think that you should leave a mark when you go. Not just take everything with you and leave nothing behind… To me it’s just the proper thing to do.”
The Tom & Julia Webb Community Fund is the culmination of a lifetime spent living by that belief. His legacy will live not only in the businesses, organizations, and community institutions he helped sustain, but in the opportunities his generosity will continue to create for the people of Pangman long into the future.
