Thomas Gorges Obituary

Thomas Gorges

April 4, 1943

September 24, 2021



Col. (ret.) Thomas Warren Gorges died at his home in Castle Rock, Colorado, on September 24, 2021 following a difficult battle with a very aggressive cancer. He was surrounded in death by members of his loving family. He is survived by his loving wife, Luz Dary, son Brian( Susan) and stepson Andres Quinonez (Katie Wolf), sister Jeanne Pees ( Gerald), and brothers Charles (Dagmar), Larry (Susan), and Mark (Deborah). He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Bernice Gorges. Tom's grandchildren include, Cala Quinonez, Phoebe, Molly, Josie Gorges.

Tom was born on April 4, 1943 in Andale, Kansas. He graduated from Andale Rural High School in 1961 and entered the US Air Force Academy in Colorado in June 1961. He graduated in June 1965 with a B.S. degree in Engineering Science.

During his four years at the Academy Tom was a standout football player. As a starting guard in his 1963 junior year, Tom and his Falcon teammates were frequently among the top twenty nationally ranked teams.. That record led to a berth in the Gator Bowl against North Carolina.

After his graduation in June 1965 Tom served as a Graduate Assistant Coach on the Falcon's football team. Tom completed a master's degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. His extensive military career included assignments in the US as well as Germany, the Philippines, and Vietnam. He earned the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and several other prestigious citations. Tom served for 30 years in the US Air Force before retiring as a full colonel in 1995.

Following retirement from the military he worked as a senior executive on various engineering projects in private industry for Jacobs Engineering Group, JE Remediation Inc and Talisman Partners Ltd. He retired fully in 2014.

Tom's hobbies included climbing the " fourteeners" in Colorado, skiing, reading, and visiting with family and friends. But most of all, and second only to his love of family, he loved following the Falcon football team. Air Force football had no greater fan!

All who knew Tom were enamored by his honesty, integrity, sense of community, and love of football, the Academy, and the nation. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. May he rest in Peace.

Services will be October 5, 2021 at 10:A.M. at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Memorials to be considered to annual fund gift AFAAC ( Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation) 2168 Seal House Dr., ASAFA, Colorado, 80840. Falcons Football, Col. (ret.) Thomas Gorges.