Thomas Pagano

The Family of Thomas Pagano, Sr. of Aurora, Colorado is saddened to announce his passing on March 14th, 2026 at the age of 71.

Petty Officer First Class Thomas Pagano, known to all as simply 'Tom,' was a beloved brother and friend and, most of all, a proud and devoted father.

Tom was born on February 13th, 1955 in Alhambra, California where he grew up attending school with his brother and sisters, playing sports, and going to church with his big Italian family. Upon graduation from high school, Tom wanted to see the world, so he joined the U.S. Navy and did just that.

Tom traveled the world for 20 years with exotic duty stations from Iceland to the Azores and sailed the seas in-between aboard the USS Kitty Hawk.

His favorite duty station was a lot closer to home, where his dress blues faded in the California sunshine. It was while stationed in Bakersfield that his son, his namesake, and the light of his life, Tommy, was born in 1991.

From that day forward, Tom was a devoted dad who beamed with pride at his son's many milestones, from his own service in the U.S. Air Force to achieving his Master's degree.

With a deep and abiding love for animals, Tom was also a lifelong Cat Dad with many feline friends loved during his lifetime. Tom was blessed by Millie and Taft for many years before they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and he will be waiting for his "duckies" Frito and Sunny as well as his "good buddy" Earl when they cross as well.

An avid sports fan, Tom enjoyed all sporting events from Dodgers, Lakers, Raiders, and Broncos games to WWE events and monster truck shows together with his son, Tommy.

In addition to sports, his cats, and following his son's journey, Tom's other joy was working. He loved going to work every day to "be useful," and to visit with all his friends at the Commissary on Buckley Space Force Base.

Tom was preceded in death by his loving parents Paul and Laura of Alhambra and many aunts and uncles from his big family.

He is survived by his brother Joe [Kittie] Pagano of Opelika, Alabama, his sisters Teresa [Randy] Shaw of Westminster, California, and MaryAnn [Burl] Hall of Dublin, California, and his beloved son Tommy of Aurora, Colorado.

Tom also leaves behind his found family including Tara and Wayne Davis of Denver, Colorado and Mia and Ken Tunmore of Ridgecrest, California.

All expressions of sympathy are welcome and the family asks that you consider making a donation in Tom's honor here: 

LINK FOR DONATION COMING SOON. 

Services will be held on May 28th at 11am at Horan & McConaty 11150 E Dartmouth Ave, Aurora, CO 80014 and will be followed by interment with full military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 1pm where, in naval tradition, we will wish Tom, "Fair Winds and Following Seas."