Thomas King Waddell's Obituary
Thomas King Waddell went to join his beloved wife Mikki on February 13, 2015. Born in Martin, Tennessee on March 18, 1926, Thomas “TK” was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, soldier and educator.
Preceded in death by his wife Mary “Mikki” D. Waddell and grandson Gavin James Crockett, his is survived by his daughters Sue Ann Waddell, Nancy Lee Waddell (Martin Maass), and Joan Waddell Crockett. He was proud of each of his grandchildren: I. Alexander Maass, Mary Caroline Maass, Diana Maass Parkhurst (John), Edward W. Maass, Elizabeth S. Maass, SFC Levi R. Crockett (Colleen), Cydni Crockett Beer (Benjamin), Grady T. Crockett, SPC B. Duggan Crockett (Jaimee), SPC Samuel R. Crockett; and great-grandchildren: Analeigh S. Crockett, Rock B. Beer, Titus K. Beer, and J. Maze Crockett. TK served during WWII in the US Navy as a Gunner’s Mate. Directly commissioned into the Regular Army, Calvary 1950, TK served in the Korean and Vietnamese Wars. He was also stationed in Germany, Japan, Iran and many posts around the US. After retirement from the Army in 1972, he received his PhD in Higher Education from the University of Arizona in 1978 and went on to work at Cochise College in Douglas, AZ. Upon his second retirement, TK volunteered at the Sierra Vista Police Department and was on the Sierra Vista Museum Committee. He was passionate about golf and traveled extensively during retirement with his brother Seid in Europe.
A resident of Arizona since 1933, TK lived in Sierra Vista, AZ for 40 years and most recently was a resident of Tucson, AZ. A celebration of TK’s life will be held Saturday, February 28, 2015 11:00 a.m. at the Southern Arizona Veteran's Memorial Cemetery, in Sierra Vista with a gathering to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Red Cross or the Mikki D. Waddell Scholarship Fund at Cochise College can be made in his name.
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