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Tom Wagatha passed away today 9/18/2020. He has had Parkinson's disease for many years. He was a diver on the Mumford swimming team and on the WSU swim team. He was a gentle, easy going and friendly individual as well.
He was a veteran of the US Navy( attaining a degree from the US Naval Academy, served as a Destroyer Gunnery Officer on active duty, and continued in the Naval Reserves with the rank of Commander.
Tom is survived by son Thomas(Diana) and two grandsons. He is also survived by two sisters and three brothers and 14 nieces and nephews.
Details on service for Tom. He has been cremated. There will be a family gathering followed by a service at the military cemetery and Holly Michigan.
Harry J. Will Funeral Home
37000 W. 6 mile road.
Livonia 48152
734 591 3700
Sept. 30th (Wed.). 10:a.m. until Noon. Military Service
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Kenneth Bertin (1964)
Tom and I were on the Mumford Swimming Team together where he lettered in diving. I always found him to a very good guy with a wonderful sense of humor. I knew that he had health issues and had planned to visit him. Covid showed up ( he did not have it), and stopped visitations. I regret I did not have the opportunity to visit him before he passed.
Richard Wiener (1964)
He was one of my first locker partners at Mumford and, since I knew almost nobody when I started there, one of the first persons I met. A very nice person.
Leonard Sahn (1964)
Tom was a neighbor and my best friend in early and mid childhood. We grew apart but maintained contact after we started high school. Always good natured, very athletic (baseball, diving), he was quite popular with classmates of both sexes.. Sadly missed.
I am in contact with his siblings, and will post additional information when available.
Sheldon Pont (1964)
Tom and I were friends since elementary school and I have many fond memeories, including driving to L.A. together in the Summer of 1968 to find jobs, and learn how to surf. As a humorous anecdote, Tom was the most popular gentile at a grade school of mostly Jewish kids, and was invited to seemingly every Bar/Bat Mitzvah party, holiday/birthday party, & social event. Coming from a working class Catholic family of 6 kids on a tight budget, his otherwise supportive mother would lovingly implore him to try to engender fewer invitations in order to reduce her constant outlay for gifts. Tom was understandably unable to control his popularity, and this was one of the few instances when he was non-compliant with a parental request :) RIP good friend !!!
Sheldon Pont
Leonard Sahn (1964)
Details on service for Tom. He has been cremated. There will be a family gathering followed by a service at the military cemetery and Holly Michigan.
Harry J. Will Funeral Home
37000 W. 6 mile road.
Livonia 48152
734 591 3700
Sept. 30th (Wed.). 10:a.m. until Noon. Military Service
This is all I have so far.