Robert "Tom" Clopton

Robert “Tom” Clopton, age 79, of Elizabethtown, formerly of Magnolia, passed away, Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at Baptist Health Hardin.

He was the Founder and CEO Tekno, Inc in Cave City.  Some of Tom’s many awards include, '94, '95 and '96, Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies in the U.S.; Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year '96 by Business First of Greater Louisville; Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year '97 by U.S. Small Business Administration and he and Muhammed Ali were awarded 2 out of the 5 Most Outstanding Kentuckian Awards by the Louisville Chamber of Commerce and Techno Awards.

Tom held nearly 40 patents with US Patent Office; worked at American Saw & Tool, Multimetals, Tube Turners of Louisville, SKF Tyson Bearing and Eaton Axle Company.  He also Worked on projects for Alaskan Pipeline and NASA’s first lunar lander.

He was a graduate LaRue Co. High School class of 1960 and attended Western Kentucky University and University of Louisville afterwards.  A Graduate Journeyman Machinist and tool and die maker, he served at South Fork Baptist, Knox’s Creek Baptist and Glasgow Baptist Churches and prayed daily for his church, family, friends, neighbors, employees and colleagues.

Tom was a world traveler, visiting Europe, South America and all-over North America for business and pleasure and lived and farmed in LaRue, Hart, Barren and Hardin Counties of Kentucky.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hannah and Leon Clopton of Magnolia.

Tom is survived by wife, Brenda; sons Troy and Trevor; 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 18, at South Fork Baptist Church near Hodgenville.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Friday, September 17, from 4 until 8 p.m. at Dixon-Rogers Funeral Home in Magnolia and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.

His favorite verse was Luke 10:27  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.”

One of Tom’s sayings was “Don’t ever let what other people think of you inhibit or limit.  It only matters what you think of yourself.  Other peoples’ opinions don’t matter.  Only what you think of yourself will change you and the world around you.”

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