Thomas Kelecy Obituary

February 13, 1925 - December 18, 2007. Thomas E. Kelecy, 82, of Monument, Colorado, died Tuesday, December 18, 2007 in Houston, Texas. His family will honor him with a private memorial. Mr. Kelecy was born February 13, 1925 in Richmond, Indiana, and grew up in Los Angeles, California after his parents migrated there by way of Louisiana and Oklahoma. He enlisted in the US Navy during World War II, serving in the South Pacific Theatre as Radioman 1st Class in Patrol Bomber squadrons VPB 71 and 118. He was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. After returning home, he entered East Los Angeles Junior College where he earned an Associate of Arts degree in 1950. Upon graduation, he went to work at Northrop Corporation in Anaheim, California as an Electronics Field Technician. While on an assignment at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, he met and married Mickalina Faith D'Avolio on January 27, 1953. They had 5 children. His career as a field engineer took Tom and his family to Wisconsin, Maine, Utah, California, Oregon, Alaska, New York, Florida, Washington, Connecticut, South Carolina, England and Scotland. He retired in 1990 after a 40 year career with Northrop Corporation. As an avid electronics enthusiast, Tom enjoyed shopping the "bargain bins" at thrift shops and electronic stores where he would take home and restore TVs, radios, stereos, and other electronic items. He was also a licensed ham radio operator and he attended many of his WWII reunions. He is survived by his daughters, Kathleen A. Kelecy of Columbia, SC and Victoria Kelecy Womer of The Woodlands, TX, sons Thomas M. Kelecy and wife Laura of Colorado Springs, CO, Patrick M. Kelecy and wife Andrea of Floyds Knobs, IN and Franklyn J. Kelecy and wife Dianne of Lebanon, NH as well as 8 grandchildren, Kathryn and Elizabeth Womer of Seattle, WA, Christopher, Matthew and Anna Kelecy of Floyds Knobs, IN and Sarah, Jonathan and Rebecca Kelecy of Lebanon, NH, and his brother George of Atlanta, GA. He was predeceased by his parents, Michael and Elizabeth (Schramm) Kelecy, and brothers William, John, James and sister Helen. His caretaker and former wife, Mickalina Kelecy of North Charleston, SC, was by his side at his death. Always with a sense of humor, he was a caring father and grandfather. He will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed.