Thomas Daniel Stuart

February 8, 1941 –September 23, 2021

Brave naval aviator, beloved husband and father, Thomas Daniel Stuart of Fair Oaks, passed away September 23, 2021 after a brief illness. Tom was born in Norfolk Virginia, the son of USN Chief Seaman Elmer Stuart and his Russian wife Stella. He is survived by his only sister Sandra Siddall, and her children, Michael, and Danielle. The family settled in California and Tom attended Norte Del Rio High School, and graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in Life Science in 1962. After a stint at Sutter Hospital in the pathology laboratory, he was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy in June 1964 and immediately pursued his flying career. He served on carriers during nine years of the Vietnam War, flying the A6 Intruder in over 140 combat sorties earning 14 Air Medal Citations off the Carriers, USS Ranger and USS Coral Sea. He also earned numerous other decorations for service and bravery from both the US Navy and the Republic of Vietnam. Casualty rates were high; Tom’s plane was hit by enemy fire and he ejected from the cockpit over the Gulf of Tonkin. He had to eject a second time in a training exercise off Puget Sound. In his typical, self-effacing fashion Tom rarely discussed his service, just feeling lucky to have survived. After retirement from the Navy in Adak, Alaska he worked in software design and implementation in the health and human services areas in Alaska and California.

Tom will be remembered by his surviving sister Sandra and her family, son Andrew (Laurie) and granddaughters, Josie and Anna, and daughter Serafima, (Glen Willis), and his stepson, Matthew Savage. He mourned his sons, John David and Matthew, who predeceased him; but reveled in his recent role of Grandad. He will be daily and sorely missed by his wife, Marianne. They enjoyed a wonderful life together, traveling with his brother-in-law Chris Moore and wife Patty to Scotland, touring southern Britain, and crewing and camping with his wife Marianne at numerous horse events. Tom was a welcome participant in numerous holiday gatherings and casual visits in Marianne’s other siblings’ lives including Teresa Hawkes (Phillip), Rosemary Peters (Michael), Bernard Moore (Carole), Nicholas Moore (Dawn) and Lillianne Stevens (Robert). He was a warm and loving friend, enjoying camaraderie with his neighbors in cribbage games, lunching with the brothers’ in law, helping various nieces and nephews and stepson, Matt. He was an outstanding member of his generation. A Memorial service with military honors will be held at Mt. Vernon Memorial Park, Fair Oaks on October 18 at 10:00 am. Remembrances of Tom may be made to your favorite charity in lieu of flowers.