Obituary of Thomas N. Willett

Mount Pleasant, Thomas N. Willett, age 78 of Mount Pleasant PA, died after a brief illness Sunday (3/06/11) at the residence of his daughter in Acme. Mr. Willett was born June 18, 1932 in Waverly, KY, the son of the late Owen and Mary Ella Culver Willett. He was a member of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church of Mt. Pleasant. Tom was a graduate of Evansville High School, and attended Evansville College and Drafting School. Mr. Willett enlisted in the Service at the age of 17 and was a veteran of the Korean War having proudly served in the United States Marine Corps. He and his fellow Marines fought valiantly in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, where about 3,000 allies died and many more were injured. He was a Heat Treater, employed by the former Dura Steel Corporation of Mt. Pleasant, and had been a Coach for the former Visitation School Basketball Team for many years. Tom was a member of the American Legion Post 446, and the V.F.W. Post 3368 in Mt. Pleasant. He was also an active member of the Greater Greensburg Detachment #834 of the Marine Corps League, Department of Pennsylvania. He was an avid model train enthusiast and especially enjoyed attending to the details of the buildings, towns and villages and the landscaping and scenery of his creations. Once a Marine-Always a Marine. Tom is survived by his loving family, his daughter, Deborah Taylor and her husband Owen of Acme, his two pet cats, Fred and Willy, and his special friend Shirley Silvis of Greensburg, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Marie Klimchock Willett in 2007, and by his brothers and sisters; Roy, Leon, Jeff and Carl Willett, and Mary Virginia Paul, Georgia Carroll, Agnes Jenkins and Gemma Willett. Family and friends will be received on Tuesday from 2 to 4 & 7 to 9PM at the Galone-Caruso Funeral Home, 204 Eagle Street, Mt. Pleasant, PA. Tom's Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, March 9 at 10:30 AM in the funeral home, with the Rev. Richard J. Kosisko officiating. Interment with full military honors will be in the National Cemetery of The Alleghenies, Bridgeville, PA. Local Military honors will be conducted by the American Legion Post 446 of Mt. Pleasant. A Parish Wake Service will be held at 3:30 PM on Tuesday in the Funeral Home. To make an online condolence please log on to www.galone-carusofuneralhome.com.