Tom Anable
Tom R. Anable, Fort Worth CPA, philanthropist and president of Fairness Fort Worth, died unexpectedly at the age of 58. Born on Oct. 4, 1953, Anable was best known as a face and a voice for the LGBT community and for his tireless work for the rights of all people.
Anable graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s in finance, and from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a master’s in business administration with a focus on quantitative financial analysis and federal tax. He was a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Texas Society of CPAs and the Fort Worth Chapter of CPAs.
A skilled and consummate professional, he practiced as a certified public accountant as the founding partner of Anable & Associates in Fort Worth from 1999 to 2010. Prior to that he was a tax manager and senior tax manager with KPMG Peat Marwick, and with Coopers & Lybrand for seven years. He also spent 17 years in the accounting and tax industry with Texas American Bank, Interfirst Bank, Leonard Enterprises, and Chapdelaine & Associates.
His professional work was only exceeded by his charity and advocacy work. Mr. Anable, a private man who for decades worked quietly behind the scenes for the benefit of charitable causes, viewed his role as an accidental activist, who was thrust upon the stage after the raid on the Rainbow Lounge in 2009.
From 2010 to 2012, Anable worked tirelessly as president of Fairness Fort Worth, an LGBT advocacy group.
He pushed the city to create a Diversity Task Force, and was instrumental in the investigation and settlement of a federal civil rights lawsuit. He led the effort for local school districts, college districts and the DFW Airport to adopt the most progressive LGBT policies in the country to protect students and employees. Anable also initiated the North Texas Law Enforcement Symposium for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
In 2011, he worked with the LGBT Liaison to the White House to set up White House-sponsored events in DFW, including the White House LGBT Conference on Safe Schools and Communities, and the White House Liaison and Department of Justice roundtable discussion with local LGBT leaders.
Prior to his Fairness Fort Worth and LGBT advocacy, Anable served two years as facilities chair, two years as treasurer and two years as president of Catholic Charities of Fort Worth Inc. He was on the admissions committee and executive review committee for strategic planning for United Way of Tarrant County. For five years he was on the Advisory Board for the Samaritan House. He served five years as treasurer of Q Cinema Inc. and was recently named to the DFW Leadership Council for GLAAD. He was also the co-chair of the Human Rights Campaign welcoming schools program.
He is survived by his mother, his two brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and loving cousins, and countless friends and admirers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fairness Fort Worth.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition August 24, 2012.