Thomas Walker Eliason

CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Thomas Walker Eliason, 93, passed away at home on Sept. 14, 2011. He was the son of Thomas Wilson Eliason and Marguerite Cree Eliason, and was born in Chestertown on June 6, 1918. He was married for 60 years to Virginia Hoopes Eliason, and had 5 daughters and eight grandchildren. He graduated from Washington College in 1942, married his college sweetheart in 1943, and served in the Army Air Force during WWII. He coached the Washington College tennis team from 1948-1955, and again from 1958-1963, and was inducted into the WC Hall of Fame in 2009. For many years he was president of the Chestertown Cemetery, and served on its board of directors until his death. He was a man of many interests and talents, and lived a vigorous life into old age. Tom loved all kinds of weather, and was frequently consulted by family and friends as to what was happening "upstairs." He began recording rainfall and temperature data when he was only 8 years old, and became an official weather observer for the National Weather Service when he was still a teenager. He received many awards for the excellence of his data and his long years of service, including the prestigious Thomas Jefferson award. This year he was to receive recognition for 75 years of weather observation. He loved hiking, especially in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, birdwatching (participating in the annual Audubon Christmas Count for many years), playing golf and tennis, and bowling. He enjoyed gardening, and tended a huge vegetable garden all his life. He was a voracious reader of history, politics, and economics. Tom lost his wife Ginny in 2004, and his daughter, Pisha in October 2010. He is survived by siblings, Mary Margaret Forney, John Eliason, Alan Eliason, Walker Eliason, and David Eliason; his daughters, Nancy Drazga, Judy Eliason, Debby Eliason, and Ginny Silva; grandchildren, Faith Acker, Hank Silva, Thomas Silva, Joseph Silva, James Silva, Grace Silva, Susanna Silva, and Maria Silva; sons-in-law, Bill Drazga and Jeff Silva; as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services were held at Shrewsbury Episcopal Church on Saturday, Sept. 17. Burial was held in St. Paul's Cemetery, Chestertown. Funeral arrangements were made by Galena Funeral Home of Stephen L. Schaech. www.galenafuneralhomeofsls.com