Cdr. O. T. (Tom) Bucklew, USN, Ret.
Tom Bucklew of Paducah, age 96, formerly of Fairfax, VA, died Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at Lourdes Hospital. He resided at Emeritus Senior Living.
He was raised in Rodamer, Preston County, WV and was always interested in the planes flying high over the mountains. He enlisted in the Navy in 1936 at the age of 17. He graduated from the Enlisted Naval Pilot Program in Pensacola, FL in 1941 and was commissioned as an officer before being sent to the Aleutian Islands during WWII. He flew PBY’s and B-24’s on patrols over Adak and Atu Islands. He retired from the Navy after serving 34 years and is a member of the Silver Eagles. He was of Anglican faith.
He is survived by his son, Oscar T. Bucklew, Jr (Janet) of Irvine, CA and his daughter Audrey Williams of Metropolis, IL; granddaughters, Sheri Fetting (Jason) of Appleton, WI and Stephany Plecker (Dan) of Harrisonburg, VA and grandsons Roger Faughn (Elizabeth) of Paducah, KY and Bill Gould (Jenny) of Greenville, NH; and several great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Alice Sobota Bucklew, daughter Arlene Gould, and son-in-law Robert Pat Williams. His parents were Albert and Lydia Rhodes Bucklew.
Services and burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to First United Methodist Church, 100 East 5th St., Metropolis, IL 62960.
You may leave a message of sympathy or light a memorial candle online at www.hughesfuneral.com.
Hughes Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of the arrangements.
