Thomas Carman

Thomas Joseph Carman passed away peacefully following a brief illness February 27, 2023 at the enlightened age of 80, and surrounded by his loving family. He was a native son of Ohio, born November 3, 1942 to Earl Arthur and Rita Helen Norwalk Carman in Cleveland.

Tom, being 6’5” (an observation remarked upon his whole life), was a natural pick for the tight/defensive end and center positions on the football and basketball teams at John Marshall High School. Once he graduated in 1961, he immediately enlisted in the Air Force as an Airman 2nd Class. His specialization in navigation and radar systems led him to support fighter squadron missions in Thailand and the Philippines, operating out of Clark AFB as the Vietnam War escalated. Once he was honorably discharged in 1967, Tom’s relentless pursuit of knowledge led him on an academic tear where he picked up an Associate’s in Electrical Engineering from Cuyahoga Community College in 1971, re-enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1972 to learn to become a pharmacy technician, and eventually landed at the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa where he finished his Diploma in Aviation Maintenance Technology in 1976. Those close to Tom will recognize this as the basis for his lengthy and illustrious career with United Airlines as an Avionics Mechanic.

Tom eventually settled down in Suisun City, CA in 1986 to start a family, which he loved bringing on trips all around the natural sights of the Bay Area. He was an avid dancer, to the point where he met his loving wife Wardria on a dance floor at a singles mixer and impressed her so much with his moves she had no choice but to marry him in 2006, and he became part of her faith and family when he moved to Denver to be closer to them. Tom had so many other hobbies that gave him joy, between cruise ships (he and Wardria were inseparable on their travels that took them around the globe possibly 2 or 3 times), perfecting his public speaking at Toastmasters clubs, and volunteering at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Wardria; children, Neil Carman and Stephanie Carman; sister, Joan Kovach; step-daughter, Shelley (Robert) DeLange; step-grandchildren, Amber (Wesley) Smith, Alysha (Michael) Willden, Anna DeLange and Autumn DeLange; and step-great-grandchildren, Teagan, Riley and Lainey Smith.

A Funeral service will be held at 12:30 pm, on Friday, March 3, 2023 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4701 South Chambers Road, Aurora, Colorado 80015. The viewing will be held at the Church from 11:30am - 12:15pm.

For those unable to attend, the service will be streamed live. They can join via this Zoom link at 12:30pm on Friday: https://zoom.us/j/94942306289?pwd=NnVjQmIwc3orOHRzaUg5YmdaWXBNQT09 Meeting ID – 949 4230 6289 & Passcode - 637414

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Humanitarian Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a cause Tom believed in: https://philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/humanitarian-services

A Burial ceremony with Military Honors will be at 3:15 pm, on Friday, March 3, 2023 at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, Colorado.

Family and friends are invited to share memories of Tom and condolences with his family on the adjoining Tribute wall. Thank you.