Obituary for Tommy Lee "Tom" Deplois
Tommy Lee (Tom) Deplois was born November 16, 1925 to Louis and Ines (Smith) Deplois in Oklahoma City. Tom entered heaven on December 10, 2019 after a short illness at the age of 94.
Tom graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City in 1943 and soon after the US Army Air Corp.(soon to be the US Air Force) in January 1945. He was an aviation navigator on B29 bombers in the Pacific theater until he left active duty in 1947. He flew a number of missions, nut most often told the story of dropping leaflets over Japan describing where and how to get support immediately after two atomic bombs had been unleashed. Tom served as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Air Force Reserves until being honorably discharged in 1957.
In 1945, just before he shipped out to Guam, Tom married his childhood sweetheart, Veronica Cook. They celebrated their 74th anniversary in 2019. Tom and Veronica had two daughters – Debbie, who was disabled from birth, and Nancy, who was an elementary teacher like her mother. Nancy and he husband Tony gave them 3 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren whom they both adored. Tom took the grandchildren on individual vacations to make their time special to places like Colorado skiing, New York City, St. Louis, San Francisco, Glacier Park, and the Galapagos Islands.
Tom earned an accounting degree from Oklahoma City University. He spent his career in the oil industry mostly for Sohio in Oklahoma City, but also spent significant time in Alaska with the pipeline project and later lived and worked in Houston several years.
Tom learned to play golf after college – he was a self-taught natural. He loved the game – he had five aces in his lifetime but was more proud of “shooting his age” at 68 years old. But the game mostly meant comradery to Tom, He and the Wild Bunch of Don, Duane, Louis, Lloyd, Earnie and Dale had many great rounds together. Sometimes they let Tony play, if he had enough dimes to cover his losses. Tom was preceded in death by his mother and father; brothers Harold and Billy; sister Iva Lou; beloved daughter Debbie and wife Veronica. Tom is survived by daughter Nancy and Tony Gardner; grandson Joel and Courtney Gardner and great-grandchildren Brenley and Noah; granddaughter Angi Gardner; grandson Josh and Andrea Gardner and great-grandchildren Lauraline, Evie and Maia; and many family and friends.
Visitation will be Monday December 16th from 6-8:00 pm at Vondel Smith Mortuary-North.
A memorial service will be held December 27, 2019 at the North Colonial Chapel of Vondel L. Smith & Son Mortuary, 13125 N. MacArthur Blvd. OKC, OK 73142.
Tom graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City in 1943 and soon after the US Army Air Corp.(soon to be the US Air Force) in January 1945. He was an aviation navigator on B29 bombers in the Pacific theater until he left active duty in 1947. He flew a number of missions, nut most often told the story of dropping leaflets over Japan describing where and how to get support immediately after two atomic bombs had been unleashed. Tom served as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Air Force Reserves until being honorably discharged in 1957.
In 1945, just before he shipped out to Guam, Tom married his childhood sweetheart, Veronica Cook. They celebrated their 74th anniversary in 2019. Tom and Veronica had two daughters – Debbie, who was disabled from birth, and Nancy, who was an elementary teacher like her mother. Nancy and he husband Tony gave them 3 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren whom they both adored. Tom took the grandchildren on individual vacations to make their time special to places like Colorado skiing, New York City, St. Louis, San Francisco, Glacier Park, and the Galapagos Islands.
Tom earned an accounting degree from Oklahoma City University. He spent his career in the oil industry mostly for Sohio in Oklahoma City, but also spent significant time in Alaska with the pipeline project and later lived and worked in Houston several years.
Tom learned to play golf after college – he was a self-taught natural. He loved the game – he had five aces in his lifetime but was more proud of “shooting his age” at 68 years old. But the game mostly meant comradery to Tom, He and the Wild Bunch of Don, Duane, Louis, Lloyd, Earnie and Dale had many great rounds together. Sometimes they let Tony play, if he had enough dimes to cover his losses. Tom was preceded in death by his mother and father; brothers Harold and Billy; sister Iva Lou; beloved daughter Debbie and wife Veronica. Tom is survived by daughter Nancy and Tony Gardner; grandson Joel and Courtney Gardner and great-grandchildren Brenley and Noah; granddaughter Angi Gardner; grandson Josh and Andrea Gardner and great-grandchildren Lauraline, Evie and Maia; and many family and friends.
Visitation will be Monday December 16th from 6-8:00 pm at Vondel Smith Mortuary-North.
A memorial service will be held December 27, 2019 at the North Colonial Chapel of Vondel L. Smith & Son Mortuary, 13125 N. MacArthur Blvd. OKC, OK 73142.