Master and Commander
Posts: 1003
Location: NE Florida | Subject: Sunday Obits
ELWING .. .. Daniel T. Elwing, 80, of Waukesha, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2023, from Alzheimer’s disease.A private visitation and memorial service were held on Friday, June 9, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. Dan was born in Chicago to Howard and Geraldine Elwing on January 15, 1943. He graduated from Round Lake High School (Round Lake, IL) in 1961 and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a Naval ROTC scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Science (electrical engineering) and a Bachelor of Naval Science. Dan married Jill Christoph on October 1, 1966, in Wauwatosa. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT, and served the next four years as a lieutenant on two submarines, the Runner and the Sailfish, circumnavigating the globe twice. Upon his honorable discharge, he began working at RTE Corporation in Waukesha as an application engineer. While working he attended the UW-Milwaukee Executive MBA Program and received his MBA degree in 1977. Soon after, he was promoted to president of RTE/Asea until the company was sold as ABB Electric in 1989. His love of God lead to a lifetime of giving back to the community. Dan served as president of the church council at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and enjoyed ushering and singing in the men’s chorus. He served on the board of directors at Froedtert Hospital, the Waukesha Symphony, and as Campaign Division chair for the United Way. Upon retiring he enjoyed consulting, golfing, fishing, reading, walking, and following his Wisconsin Badgers. Besides his wife Jill, he is survived by his daughters Jennifer Kowalik and Elizabeth (Andrew) Martin, son Daniel J., and grandchildren Nicholas and Natalie Kowalik and Sarah Martin.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at Legacy Assisted Living and Allay Hospice for their excellent care during his final phase of life.
GORMAN .. .. Commander Thomas F. Gorman, Jr., retired USN, died unexpectedly on 4 October 2023 in Knoxville, TN. He was 72 years old. Tom is preceded in death by parents, Thomas F. Gorman Sr. and Joan Daly Gorman, and sister, Kathleen Rurak. He is survived by wife Shannon, daughters Jill Gatz, Kelly (Chris) Sharp, and Tara (Eric) Webster, and son Thomas (Lisa) Gorman, III, and 12 grandchildren. He is also survived by his loving sisters, Ellen Bowden and Joanne (Ron) Conley, and many nieces and nephews.
Tom received his appointment to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) from West Virginia based on his perfect SAT score. Tom was sworn into the Navy with the Class of 1973 in June of 1969. He was a Physics major. Tom was a member of the '73 7th Company Seadogs. Upon graduation, Tom selected the submarine service. He served on Barb (SSN596) and Ethan Allen (SSBN608). He was chief engineer of Swordfish (SSN579), Executive Officer of Chicago (SSN721), and Commanding Officer of Indianapolis (SSN697). Tom retired from the USN in 1995. Tom worked for Y-12 in Oak Ridge TN. He led the start-up of the Pickering nuclear power plant B, Ontario Power Generation. He then started his own consulting company, Trident Technologies, before retiring in 2015.
Tom loved his family, his dogs, and his time on Norris Lake. Tom will be buried at sea. A celebration of life was held in Knoxville on 21 October 2023. Seadogs were in attendance and provided tremendous support and encouragement for the family.
SANDERS .. .. Thomas Leon Sanders of Tijeras, NM was born in Sinton, Texas on October 10, 1946. He died at home on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Barbara; sons, Ryan (wife Samantha) and Patrick (wife Misty); stepchildren, Karen Brown (husband Tim), James Brasher (wife Julie) Andrew Brasher (wife Kimberly), John Brasher (wife Sara), and Philip Coen. He was Grandpa to nine grandchildren, Rylee, Addison and Charlotte Sanders and Jack, Sebastian, Madeleine, Allison, Rachel, and Hannah Brasher.
Tom grew up on the gulf coast of south Texas. After graduating from Gregory-Portland High School at 17, he spent some time in Ventura, CA before returning to Texas where he attended junior college and worked on charter boats and tugboats. In 1966 he got his draft notice, and with the Vietnam conflict underway he spoke with Navy recruiters. Tom was given an aptitude test which qualified him for the burgeoning nuclear navy. After boot camp he became an electrician's mate and from there he went into the Navy's nuclear power school, followed by submarine school. He served on the USS Kamehameah, a Polaris submarine and on the USS Shark, one of the first nuclear-powered vessels. He served in the Navy until 1972, then worked as a nuclear-qualified electrician at a shipyard in Virginia. He returned to Texas to enroll at the University of Texas in Austin (Hook 'em!) and attended from 1977 to 1985 earning his bachelor's and master's degrees and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering with an emphasis on nuclear engineering. Upon graduation, Tom accepted a position at Sandia National Laboratories where he worked until 2011. Tom was particularly interested in Nuclear Global Initiatives, and a highlight of his career was being part of a group of specialists to go to Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union to secure high enriched uranium. After his retirement from Sandia in 2011, he served as the Associate Lab Director for Clean Energy Initiatives at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, SC until 2015.
Tom battled cancer for the last 13 years of his life. He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2010, underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. His cancer returned in 2014 and he underwent a brutal 12-hour surgery to remove the cancer; with subsequent bone and skin grafts. In 2020 he underwent another lengthy surgery to improve the alignment of repairs from the previous surgery. And finally, this year, a tumor under his palate proved to be the final blow. Tom was a warrior through all these diagnoses and treatments. His fighting spirit was an inspiration to his family and doctors. Through everything Tom enjoyed retirement dividing time between his mountain home and his home in Port Aransas on the Texas coast. His children and grandchildren brought him great joy. Thomas Sanders will be greatly missed.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, November 10, 2023, 10:30 a.m., at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 5301 Ponderosa Ave. NE.
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Sunday Obits
