Thomas Obermeier grew up in Wilmette, Illinois. He went to New Trier High School and then to the University of Illinois. He was not particularly successful the first time at University and joined the Air Force. When he completed 4 years in the Air Force as a navigator flying C-121 Super Constellation, he went to the University of Colorado majoring in architecture receiving both bachelors and master's degrees.

In 1966 he was one of the founding partners of McOG Architecture which later became OBG and then OZ Architecture. After leaving OZ, he started the firm OS Architecture. While Tom was very proud of his children, much of his life was filled with his three passions: architecture, art and fly fishing.