Thomas Anthony Waling

Waling, Thomas A., September 7, 2020 age 100 of Plymouth.Beloved husband of Mary. Loving father of Richard (Cheryl), Joseph (Sandra), Dennis, Mary Beth (John) Palmer, Ronald (Susan) and the late Thomas Jr. (Barbara). Proud grandfather of 14, and great grandfather of 17. Visitation Wednesday, September 9th 5-8 PM and Thursday, September 10th 1-8 PM at Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home, 46401 Ann Arbor Rd. W., (btwn Sheldon & Beck) Plymouth with Scripture Service at 7:00 PM. In state Friday, September 11th 10 AM until the 10:30 AM Funeral Mass at St. Colette Catholic Church, 17600 Newburgh Road, Livonia, MI 48152. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Mr. Waling was born in 1920 to Maltese Immigrants Oreste (aka “Jack”) and Emma Waling (aka “Azzopardi” in Malta) in Hamtramck and raised in Highland Park, Michigan. (In 1913 Ford Motor Company moved the production of the Model T to the new Highland Park Assembly Plant. At this plant, they introduced the first moving assembly line). He went to Henry Ford Trade School at the age of 13 years old and received a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1938 while working at Ford Motor Company. During his school years he served lunch to Henry Ford Sr. and played in the Henry Ford Trade School Band and was the Class President for his class of 1938. He trained and Boxed with the C.Y.O. He entered the Golden Gloves Circuit at age 16 in the 1930’s also trained in his father’s gym, “Highland Park AA” and was the 1938 Flyweight Champ of the Midwest. His father was his trainer and also trained Joe Louis, “The Brown Bomber” before he went onto the national circuit. Thomas and Mary were married during WWII on June 6, 1942 at Madonna Parish in Detroit. After their first year of marriage, Thomas was one of many that were selected for “The Manhattan Project” through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Ford Motor Company to work on the Atomic Bomb in Los Alamos New Mexico which was referred to as “The Hill”. That was led and directed by Dr. (Julius) Robert Oppenheimer (Theoretical Physicist). This was an exciting time of their life living and working with world renowned scientists and military. In the meantime, Tom Jr. was born in 1943 and had the privilege of sharing this adventure. (Even though he was too young to remember). After returning from New Mexico the family grew to include Richard J. 1946, Joseph F. 1948, Dennis M. 1950, Mary E., 1952 and Ronald G. 1954. Memorial contributions may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #528, 1426 Mill Street, P.O. Box 6319, Plymouth, MI 48170, or Knights of Columbus Council #5492, Dr. Thomas A. Dooley, 17600 Newburgh Road, Livonia, MI 48152. To share a memory, please use the share a memory tab on this webpage.

Thomas Anthony Waling

February 11, 1920 - September 7, 2020