Thomas H. Dollahite, 84, passed away at his home in Houston, Texas on January 8, 2018. Tom was born on February 24, 1933 to Alga B. and Susie Wade (Hardin) Dollahite in Uvalde, Texas. He lettered in track and graduated from El Paso Ysleta High School in 1950 and Texas A&M University in 1954 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. He married his childhood friend and sweetheart, Dorothy Joe (Crank) on February 1, 1953. Tom and Dorothy began their married life while Tom was still a student at Texas A&M. After graduating from A&M, he worked for Boeing Aircraft Corporation in Seattle, Washington, and then was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army in 1955. During Tom’s first 11 years in the Army, he flew fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. He was Vice President Lyndon Johnson’s personal co-pilot in 1961, and served in Vietnam from 1963 to 1964, where he was awarded two Air Medals. Tom resigned from the active duty Army in 1966, but remained in the Army Reserves, from which he retired as a Colonel in 1993. In civilian life, Tom flew for El Paso Natural Gas in 1960, and Mabee Petroleum and Mr. Guy Mabee from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. He was also active in the Christian Church of Midland; the Confederate Air Force; Quiet Birdmen, a fraternal order of civilian pilots; and the Permian Soaring Society.
Tom is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Joe (Crank) Dollahite, and brother Robert Dollahite, two children and their spouses, Thomas Jr. and his wife Holly, and Marlyss Ann (Dollahite) Jeffcoat and her husband, Russell. Tom has four grandchildren, Allison (Jeffcoat) Lammers and her husband, Stephen, Michelle (Jeffcoat) Mangum and her husband Mitch, Holly (Jeffcoat) Arensman and her husband Dennis, and Sam Dollahite, and one great-grandson, Harrison Mangum. Tom also leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews and his Texas Aggie and Army Special friends Frank Norris ‘54, David Shaw ‘54, and Alan Todd ‘57...Gig ‘Em! Tom is predeceased by his parents and brother, Michael.
A Memorial Service honoring Tom will be held at Eagle’s Trace Retirement Home in Houston, Texas on January 20, 2018 at 2pm.
Tom’s family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Christian Church of Midland, 2608 Neely, Midland, Texas 79705.
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