Dr. Thomas "Tom" J. LeCompte

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dr. Thomas J. LeCompte, a renowned physicist, who left us on January 20, 2025. Tom was a brilliant mind whose contributions to the field of physics have left an indelible mark on the scientific community.

 

Tom was born in Oak Park on November 17, 1964. From a very early age, it was clear that Tom’s mind operated at a remarkable level. From beating computers at chess at age 8, sitting for the GMAT at age 12, or graduating from MIT at age 20, it was clear that Tom was gifted with extraordinary intelligence. Tom went on to earn a PhD in Physics from Northwestern University before starting a long and successful career with Argonne National Laboratory.

 

Tom’s career highlights included being a member of the 1995 Fermilab team that established the existence of the top quark, the most massive of all observed elementary particles. This accomplishment earned the cover of Newsweek Magazine. He later served as the Physics Coordinator of the ATLAS experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Under his leadership, the ATLAS team announced the discovery of their first new particle, χb(3P).

 

Tom was a sought-after speaker and traveled the world giving talks about the interplay between Standard Model and Beyond Standard Model Physics. Post retirement, he stayed active in the physics community and continued to perform contract work with Stanford University research teams up until the time of his passing.

 

At home, Tom’s hobbies included music and teaching. He was an accomplished trumpet player and a member of the Andrew Marchese orchestra. Tom was generous with his time, stepping in to assist with teaching physics or coaching the math team at Benet Academy. He proudly displayed pictures of the team’s success around his house.

 

Tom is survived by his mother, Rosemary (the late John) Rendek; his siblings, Nancy (Jed) Gaines, Joe (Mandy) LeCompte, Patty LeCompte; his nephews, Will and Matthew LeCompte; his step-brother, John (Melissa) Rendek and their children, Cameron and Madison Rendek; his uncle, Jim Bigham. He was preceded in death by his father, Arnold LeCompte.

 

Family, friends and colleagues are invited to celebrate Tom's life and legacy on Friday, February 7, 2025, at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 820 Division St., Lisle, IL 60532. Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside, IL. 

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Benet Academy in Tom's memory.

 

Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Naperville, was entrusted with arrangements.