Tom Thomas, a resident of Sagewood Independent Living Center (2017-2023) and long-time resident of Danville, California (1968-2017), died Saturday, September 9th, at his home in South Jordan, Utah.
Born on the kitchen table of his Price, Utah, home on May 19, 1931, Tom’s parents could not decide on a first name for over 9 months and simply called him, “little Thomas”. The name stuck and he was thereafter known as Thomas Thomas. As a boy, he was handy with tools and
loved to fix things. His analytical mind continued to develop and one of his proudest moments was earning a full naval scholarship to the University of Utah where he majored in electrical engineering. He met the love of his life, Norma Cramer, at the University of Utah’s Institute of Religion and they were married in the Logan Utah Temple on July 14, 1955. He served in the Navy and trained on advanced fighter jets in Key West, Florida. After his commitment with the Navy finished, he worked for Boeing as an electrical engineer in Seattle, Washington, and
signed up for the Naval Reserve. He was called into active duty for a year during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. He changed careers to work for Pan American World Airways as a pilot on Boeing’s 707 airplane. He eventually moved the family to Danville, California, in 1968 where he
flew out of SFO and became a senior pilot-flight engineer on the 747 aircraft. In 1986, he was grandfathered into United Airlines when they purchased Pan Am’s Pacific fleet. He retired from United Airlines on December 31, 1998.
Tom and Norma were blessed with five children, two of whom died at birth. He spent most of his free time on home maintenance and yard work and developed a love for computers and technology. He was a plumber, electrician, car mechanic and repairman extraordinaire and
would gladly offer his services to widows, neighbors, family and friends, assisting whenever something stopped working or needed explaining.
As devoted members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tom and Norma served in the Washington D.C. North Mission in 2001 and in the Oakland Temple Family History Center in California in 2002. He was married to Norma for 63 years until her passing in October,
2018.
He is survived by his children: Paul (Ana) Thomas, David (Mar) Thomas, and Leslie (David) Thomas Rupper. Grandchildren: Alan, Valeria, Jocelyn, Kimberly, Pamela, Justin, Christopher, and Emily.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 16th at 1:30 pm with a viewing beginning at 1:00 pm in the Summit Room at Sagewood Senior Living Center located at 11289 South Oakmond Road, South Jordan, Utah. A graveside service will be held at the Lindquist Washington Heights Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah following the funeral service.
If you would like to watch the recorded funeral service, please click on the blue "Watch Services" button above.