Capt Thomas W. Speelman Ret.

Captain Thomas W Speelman, United States Navy retired was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania to Mae Speelman and William R Speelman on September 25, 1930 and went to be with Jesus and the love of his life and wife of 73 years, Patricia, on December 5, 2025 at Virginia Beach General Hospital surrounded by his two sons Tom and Bill and his daughter Chris.
He is survived by his three children, Mary Christine Bailey of Virginia Beach, Thomas W Speelman Junior (Joy )of Chesapeake, and William Speelman (Malinda) of Clayton, North Carolina and his six grandchildren Kelley Nickerson, Thomas W Speelman III, William Speelman, Joseph Speelman, Daniel Graves, David Graves and one great grandson Landon Nickerson.
Captain Speelman retired from the US Navy in 1974 after 22 years as a Naval aviator, compiling over 12000 flight hours and more than 500 carrier landings.He served in five Navy squadrons and was commanding officer and air group commander ( CAG ). He served as the aviator assignment officer in the bureau of naval personnel as well as the staff of the chief naval operations, and the staff of naval air forces Atlantic Fleet.Captain Speelman was a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, the United States Naval Postgraduate School, the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and Old Dominion University.
Following his naval service, he taught distributive education and marketing at First Colonial and Princess Anne High School. Captain Speelman will be remembered as a thoughtful and caring husband, father, and grandfather whose frugality in his personal affairs were eclipsed by his extreme generosity with regard to his children and grandchildren. He was a leader by example and never expected others to do something that he would not do himself. Our father was a humble man, who never used his status to gain advantage over others.
There will be visitation held at Hollomon-Brown, Kempsville Chapel on Thursday, December 11, 2025 from 3 to 6 PM. A funeral service will be conducted at the same location the following day, Friday, December 12, at 11 AM with Jeff Inman, member of River Oak Church officiating.
A burial with full military honors will be conducted January 6, 2026 at 1 PM at Albert G Horton Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to ask that donations be made to the Kempsville Volunteer Rescue Squad PO Box 62345 Virginia Beach, VA 23466, online donations accepted at KVRS.org