Thomas C Suermann

Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) Thomas C. Suermann died Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at Holmes Regional Hospital in Melbourne, FL. His health had declined rapidly following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in January 2011.

COL Suermann is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, June McInerney Suermann of Rockledge, FL and two sons, Michael Suermann of Kansas and Maj. (USAF) Patrick Suermann and daughter-in-law Megan Suermann of San Antonio, TX. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Drew, Katie, Isabelle and Jack Suermann.

COL Suermann was born in Hoboken, NJ to Dr. John and Eileen Suermann along with his identical twin brother John. He was predeceased in 2003 by his father and his sister Susan Donovan. He is survived by his mother, Eileen T. Suermann of Pinehurst, NC; his brother John and sister-in-law Sally Suermann of Huntsville, AL; sister Kathleen French and brother-in-law LTC (U.S. Army, Ret.) John French of Arlington, VA; sister Mary Anne and husband Paul Sale of Pinehurst, NC; sister Margaret Suermann of Concord, CA; sister Julie Williamson Jones and brother-in-law Jerry Jones of Louisville, CO; brother James and sister-in-law Sharon Suermann of Otisville, NY. He is also survived by numerous devoted nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and military associates.

COL Suermann was a 1971 graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and was a highly decorated veteran. His entire military career was spent in the Army Corps of Engineers. Upon graduation from USMA, he served as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division before returning to Princeton University to earn a Master's degree in aeronautical engineering. After serving in a variety of command and staff positions including time as a faculty member at West Point, establishing the Army Space Command and twice serving as District Engineer in the Wilmington, NC and St. Louis, MO districts, COL Suermann retired from active duty as the Deputy Division Engineer of the Ohio River Division in Cincinnati, OH in 1998. His overseas assignments included Darmstadt and Heidelberg, Germany; Taegu, Korea; the Sinai desert in Egypt; Bosnia and Hungary.

After his military retirement, Tom and June lived in Orlando, FL where Tom worked for Parsons Brinckerhoff leading the building of a toll road near Disney World. Later, Tom worked for the Capital Facilities Division of the Georgia Institute of Technology on a massive campus expansion project. He ultimately retired from the architecture and engineering firm Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City, MO.

Tom Suermann was a registered professional engineer in the states of Virginia and Florida. He was a member the Society of American Military Engineers and a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community. He was a man of strong faith. His warm and positive energy always cheered those around him. He was a true gentleman. His presence will be both remembered and greatly missed.

Tom and June had recently relocated to Rockledge, FL to build a new home and begin retired life together. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed the outdoors. He had hoped to continue to benefit .