Thomas Webster Lockett

Aug. 4, 1923 – Nov. 17, 2015 (Age 92)

Tom Lockett’s long good life on this earth ended Nov. 17, 2015, at the Fox Island home he loved and shared with his wife Elizabeth for 48 years. He was born Aug. 4, 1923, in Burbank, Calif. to Ruby and Thomas Lockett. Despite the Depression and his father’s early death, he had happy memories of growing up with a loving extended family. He started working part-time at the age of 12, but still found time to make Eagle Scout and the Burbank High tennis team, and to enjoy the big bands and other Hollywood shows and nearby beaches as well as a tight-knit group of friends.

As soon as he was able, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, which brought him to the Seattle area for training and a chance meeting with Elizabeth Ann Barta. It quickly blossomed into romance and a small wartime wedding followed by 71 years of marriage, two daughters, three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

After the war and his return from service with the 874th Bomb Squadron, 498th Bomb Group, on Saipan, the young couple moved to Burbank, where Tom began a successful career in surplus airplane part sales—going from warehouse worker to co-founder and vice president of Pacific Sky Supply. He left this dream job in 1961 and started over in Washington because he believed that would be best for his family. He became president of Dascomp, an air parts exporter, then founder of Stack, a hardware supply firm.

Tom enjoyed a wide array of hobbies and family experiences over his lifetime: summer days at their Vaughn Bay beach cabin; horseback riding at their small ‘farm’ in Milton, business trips to Japan and vacations in Hawaii, photographing Fox Island sunrises and sunsets, traveling by motorhome, and golfing with his Harbor Covenant men’s group. Most of all, he enjoyed people; he was sincerely interested in what they had to say and related equally well across all generations and walks of life.

He was an active member of the Fox lsland community: raising funds for its tennis courts; serving as a FICRA board member, annual fair organizer and parade grand marshal; Historical Museum docent, and hosting the Bible study that grew into the Fox Alliance Church.

Tom is survived by his wife, Liz, and their daughters Sue (Al) John and Cindy (Joe) Dille; grandchildren Sara Jo (Joe) Pietraszweski, Tom (Meghann) John, and Melinda (Philip) Nielsen and great-grandchildren (Magdalene, Edmund, Hugh, Agnes, Therese and Marie Nielsen), his half-brother Ray (Jean) Becker of Valencia, CA, and loving friends of all ages.

He began each day with his Bible, and ended it praying his gratitude and hope. He would echo the family’s special thanks to dear friends Rich and Glenda Peterson and care manager Terri McPherson and the other wonderful caregivers who made it possible for him and Liz to stay safe and happy in their home.

His memorial service will take place at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 29 at The Fox Island Chapel at Echo Bay. Please consider the Tacoma Rescue Mission, which he faithfully supported for many years, in lieu of flowers.

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