Thomas McClaflin

XENIA — Thomas E. McClaflin, 64, of Xenia, Ohio, passed away after a brief illness on April 1, 2016.

Tom was born in Oberlin, Ohio, on Dec. 21, 1951. He graduated from Wellington High School in 1970, then enlisted into the United States Air Force on Sept. 11, 1970. Tom retired honorably as a master sergeant in 1994; he was an aircraft maintenance technician and was the crew chief of a C-135 refueling plane. He served in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Tom is survived by his wife of 30 years, Sandy Bigley; his mom, Muriel (Baker) McClaflin; sisters Jan McClaflin of Wellington, Karen Thornhill (Steve) of Schertz, Texas, Jackie Simmons of Bradenton, Fla., Sue Guthrie (Ken) of Litchfield, Ohio; brother, Larry (Theresia) of Bradenton, Fla.; and sister-in-law Stephanie (Marty) Ramey of Rock Spring, Ga. He was a favored uncle and a great role model to his many nieces and nephews.

Tom loved to golf and fish with his friends and family and spend quality time with his dogs, cats, and parrot.

Tom was preceded in death by his dad, Leonard (Hank) in 1991; his brother, Donnie in 1983; and his mother-in-law, Jane VanderVoort in 2007.

Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at the First United Methodist Church in Wellington with a memorial service immediately following at 2 p.m. Friends and relatives are invited to attend a celebration of Tom's life at 4 p.m. at the Penfield Township Community Center on the corner of St. Rt. 18 and St. Rt. 301.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Humane Society of Greene County, 187 Bellbrook Ave., Xenia, OH 45385, or USO at www.uso.org.