He was born June 21st, 1931 in Blakely, PA, to Thomas and Teresa Spillane of Archbald, PA. Thomas graduated from Scranton Preparatory School in Scranton, PA and in 1954 received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College. After working as a civilian engineer at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington DC, he was accepted into the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, receiving his commission in 1956. Thomas was stationed in San Diego and served as a guided missile instructor, attaining the rank of Lieutenant while in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Following his time in the Navy, he stayed in San Diego and started a business at Lindbergh Field in airplane electronics and other communication and navigation systems. Thomas later qualified as a general contractor and became involved in real estate development by designing, engineering and constructing apartment complexes in San Diego. In the 1980’s, he designed and built an advanced video card for the TI-99/4A computer and programmed software to analyze the chemicals in swimming pool water.
Thomas was an avid recreational airplane and helicopter pilot and enjoyed flying a Cessna he owned with his brother.
In 1976, he married Marilyn Agnes Garvey, of Oakland, CA and raised three sons in San Diego.
In recent years, Thomas enjoyed researching and writing on diverse topics including Civil War veterans, genealogy, and local history and art. He was a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Mission Hills.
Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Teresa Spillane; wife, Marilyn Spillane; and son, Daniel Spillane.
He is survived by son, Thomas Spillane and his wife, Suzanne, and their children, Ryan and Darcy, of San Diego; son, James Spillane of San Diego; and brother, Paul Spillane of Virginia Beach, VA.
A funeral mass will be held at 10am on Saturday, August 14th at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Mission Hills. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
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