Thomas Godfrey Babington

Thomas Godfrey Babington, of Phoenix, Arizona, died April 26, 2005. He was 77. Tom was born November 8, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan, to Irish immigrants Agnes and Thomas. He and his three brothers, William, John, and Robert, and his sister Peggy attended St. Gregory's grade school where Tom served as an altar boy. He excelled in school and graduated from Cass Tech at age 16. After serving in the Navy, he attended University of Detroit on the G.I. Bill, where he earned his degree in mechanical engineering. Tom arrived in the Valley in 1955 at the height of the air conditioning boom. He used his Irish charm, engineering skills and his business sense to found Tenaire Inc., at which he continued to work for the rest of his life. Tom loved his children, Nancy, Timothy, Mark and Matthew, his daughters-in-law, Cathy and Theresa and his nine grandchildren, Amy, Christopher, Katie, and Meghan Edmonds, Sean, Amy, and Erin Babington, and Lauren and Hannah Babington. He also loved being Irish, good grades, golf, flying, the newspaper, and a good drink. He was a lifetime member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Brophy Dads' Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, his wife Mary, and his son Matthew. The viewing for Thomas Babington will be today from 5 to 8pm at Hansen Mortuary, 8314 N. 7th St., with a rosary service at 7pm. The funeral will be at 1:00 PM Friday at Brophy Chapel, 4701 N. Central Ave., with interment at St. Francis Cemetery, 2033 N. 48th St. A celebration of his life will follow at Moon Valley Country Club, 151 W. Moon Valley Drive. Donations can be made to Brophy College Preparatory. Erin Go Bragh!