Thomas Voshell Jr.

Thomas Voshell Jr. VIRGINIA BEACH - Dr. Thomas Voshell Jr., 93, of the 1400 block of Dunstan Circle, died Jan. 21, 2009, in Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. He was born in Philadelphia to the late Thomas Hamersley Voshell and Helen Luce Voshell July 13, 1915. He graduated from Upper Darby High School in Philadelphia in 1933. He was married Oct. 2, 1937, to Evelyn Winifred Huntington of Philadelphia. As newlyweds they opened the Colonial Dining Room in the St. Johns Hotel in Charleston, S.C. In 1938, he started flying with Martin Jensen and attended Aero Industries Technical Institute in California where he received his airframe and power mechanics license. He worked for Glenn L. Martin in Baltimore. In the spring of 1942, he was awarded his commercial flight license at Baltimore School of Aeronautics and was commissioned as an aviation volunteer probationary. In 1943, he went to the University of Georgia at Athens War Training Service Ground School of Flight and in November of that year was inducted into the U.S. Navy. Tom received his U.S. Navy aviator wings April 29, 1944, and was assigned to the U.S. Navy Aviation School in Dallas as a flight instructor. He helped organize the Aviation Volunteer Auxiliary Unit No. 1 at Charleston, S.C. After the war, he attended the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., as a veteran graduating in 1951. Upon graduation, he enrolled as a medical student at Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. After graduation in 1955, he interned at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital in Darby, Pa., and reenlisted in the U.S. Navy as a resident physician at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He graduated from the Navy Flight Surgeon School in Pensacola, Fla., in 1959. He served as senior medical officer at U.S. Navy Dispensaries at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, aboard the USS Shangri-La, U.S. Naval Air Station Norfolk, Yuma Marine Corps Air station and Naval Air Station Key West, Fla. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1973. He practiced with Dr. Whitmore in Norfolk after retirement for several years. He was a member of Bayside Presbyterian Church. Tom led an extraordinary life. He loved flying and owned his own airplanes for many years. He flew and instructed out of South Norfolk and South Hampton Roads airports. He earned both his U.S. Navy aviator wings and flight surgeon wings. He was a mentor to many in both the aviation and medical fields. He was predeceased by his wife Evelyn of 56 years and his daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Anthony Dedio. He is survived by his wife, Ellen Jordan Voshell; his son and daughter-in-law, Russ and Lorrie Voshell of Virginia Beach; his daughter and son-in-law, Joan and Jim Werner of Virginia Beach; his son, Thomas H. Voshell III of Chesapeake; stepson and wife, Jim and Andrea Jordan; and stepdaughter, Robin Stenger. Tom had six grandchildren, Mark Dedio, Justin Voshell, Laurie Ann Dedio, James W. Mason Jr., Kevin Voshell and Julie Mason Riley. He also had four great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. in Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Bayside Chapel, 1457 Independence Blvd. A memorial service will be conducted Saturday at 2 p.m. in Bayside Presbyterian Church, Independence Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Thomas Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.