Clayton VANNES

VANNES, Clayton Lee 83, of Tampa, FL, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021, at home. Lee was a native of Green Bay, WI, and resident of Tampa since 1994. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Saint Norbert College in De Pere, WI, Class of 1962. After serving six years in the Wisconsin Army Reserves, Lee was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He obtained a Master's Degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. He served 33 years in the Signal Corps and Special Forces, retiring as a Colonel in 1990. Lee was a kind, generous, caring man, who went out of his way to help and mentor others. He actively supported numerous organizations, including the Special Forces Association 60, Chapter LX (Tampa) as a former President, the Signal Corps Regimental Association and AFCEA. Lee was a special consultant and government contractor for various organizations, including Booz Allen, for 20 years after his Army retirement. He was an active member of Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, FL and a member of Temple A'Havat Shalom in Palm Harbor, FL. Lee was preceded in death by his first wife, Toni; his parents, Norman and Charlotte Vannes of Green Bay, WI; and his brother, Wayne Vannes of San Antonio, TX. He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Norma Bloomberg Vannes; his four daughters, Victoria Vannes, Robin Vannes, Amy Tuschen and her husband, Bryan Tuschen, Heather Vannes and her partner, Tony Catalano; eight grandchildren, Bailey Fowler Moore and her husband, Jordan Moore, Nicole Fowler, Jordyn Vannes, Maygen Tuschen, Morgan Wieckowski and her husband, 1st Lt. Tim Wieckowski, Matthew Tuschen, Tyler Wittman and his wife, Maura Austin, Austin Wittman; and Norma's children, Steven Bloomberg, Linda Bloom-Coley and her husband, Peter Coley; and by his siblings, Dale Vannes and his wife, Kay Vannes, Lynn Vannes Skar, Jean Snyder and her husband, Al Snyder. A funeral Mass will be celebrated for the repose of his soul Thursday, February 25, 2021, at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church, Safety Harbor, FL. Interment will be held Thursday, 2 pm, at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. The funeral service will be livestreamed at: ttps://vimeo.com/515382147. In lieu of flowers, donations to either; Clayton Lee Vannes Endowed Scholarship at Saint Norbert College can be made at https://giving.snc.edu/ (designate scholarship fund number 320238); or the Special Forces Association 60, ChapterLXhttps://specialforces.org/donate/