Thomas H. Stanton, Jr.

Thomas H. Stanton, Jr., 97, of Mansfield, passed away late Saturday evening, February 11, 2017, at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital. He was born January 13, 1920, in Keewatin, Minnesota, to the late Thomas H. Stanton Sr. and Mamie Foster Stanton.

He moved to Nashwauk, Minnesota at the age of 14 and graduated from Nashwauk High School in June 1938. Tom attended Hibbing Minnesota Junior College for two years and graduated with an Associate Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in June 1940. He completed his formal education at Curtis-Wright Technical Institute in Glendale, California, graduating in 1941. Tom began working at Curtis-Wright Corp. in Columbus, Ohio on December 1, 1941, one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the project engineer charged with developing a new gun turret for the SB2C Helldiver plane to replace the .30 caliber manual operated turret in use at the time. This plane ultimately proved to be a major asset in the fight against the Japanese in the Pacific.

On June 10, 1943, Tom married Irene Hilt, whom he met while she was employed as Secretary to the Representative from Canadian Car and Foundry, which built the SB2C in Canada. They shared 28 years of marriage, two children, and a beautiful life together until Irene's passing on September 17, 1971. Tom joined the U.S. Navy in June 1944 and was discharged in February 1946 as an Aviation Machinist Mate First Class. He began an 18-year career with Ranco Inc. He transferred to Robert-Shaw Controls in Milford, Connecticut for four years and settled in Mansfield, working at Therm-O-Disc from 1968-1973. It was then that he had the joy of a second wonderful marriage when he and Helen Berger Goff, the mother of five boys, married on April 28, 1975. Tom retired in 1992 from Universal Enterprises and Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Manager.

Tom's stellar work ethic and devotion to his profession allowed him the pleasure of traveling during his work career and he continued his wanderlust after his retirement. He and Helen traveled over most of Europe, five times to Hawaii and many areas of the United States. they spent every winter of retirement in the warm and sunny environment of either Florida or Hawaii. In his free time, he enjoyed remodeling, redecorating, making additions, and re-landscaping their home prior to purchasing their condominium.

Tom is survived by his wife, Helen Stanton; daughter, Cindy (Wayne) Frangello of Orlando, FL; five stepsons, Kenneth (Ann) Goff of Mansfield, Michael (Stephanie) Goff of Waikoloa, HI, David Goff of Mansfield, Philip (Sheila) Goff of Mansfield and Curtis (Tricia) Goff of Santa Rosa, FL; grandchildren, Kenneth C. Goff, Mandy Oswalt and Kersten Goff; great-grandchildren, Aaron, Dylan, Joseph and Hollee; a niece Sheila Stanton and nephews Bill and Tom Miller. In addition to his parents and first wife, Irene, he was preceded in death by a son, Jef Stanton; grandson, David Oswalt; brother, Earl Stanton; and sisters, Harriet Oliver and Jane Miller.

A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, February 18, 2017, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 104 W. First St., Mansfield. A Memorial Mass will be recited by Rev. Father Jeremy Miller at 11:00 a.m. Military honors presented by the U.S. Navy will immediately follow. Burial will be in Mansfield Catholic Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or a charity of the donor's choice. The Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors is privileged to serve the family.