Thomas Cecil Christie

Thomas C Christie,LtCol (ret) Feb. 20 1930 - March 11 2025 With deep sadness, we say farewell to Thomas Christie, a man whose life was a testament to courage, love, and unwavering dedication. At 95, he departed this life with grace and strength, holding the hand of Jo, his wife of 72 years. Tom was more than our patriarch: he was a true American hero. As a medevac helicopter pilot in Korea and two tours in Vietnam, he risked his life to save others, earning the highest honors, including a Silver Star and two Bronze Stars, one for Valor. As an Army pilot (callsign Tango Charlie), his unit received the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal. His bravery and leadership as a Lieutenant Colonel defined his career and influenced future generations of pilots. His greatest legacy, however, is the family he built: a family rooted in love, resilience, and integrity. His quiet strength, unwavering love, and keen sense of humor shaped us all, and his stories will be carried in our hearts forever. We will cherish our memories of Tom: his elaborate pancake breakfasts; his learned contributions to his grandchildren’s school projects; the stories of his raucous teenage years leading his band, The Stardusters, and falling in love with Jo in Clymer, PA; driving in circles around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris; and telling stories and singing songs while pushing his grandchildren in the porch swing. Tom leaves behind his wife Joanne, children Lisa Dorn (Rick), Joseph Christie, Lynne Scheumann (Kevin), Gregory Christie (Kim), Amy Lepori (Joey), as well as 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. We will always be grateful for Tom’s sacrifice, service, and love. He set the gold standard by which we measure other men. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten, and we will honor him by living with the same courage and love that he showed every day