T.S. Lansdale

Sad to share that we lost T. S. Norwood “Tom” Lansdale on Thursday, 1/20/2022, due to natural causes.  Over the past 4 years, he has greatly missed the love of his life and wife, Yukie, and we know he’s happy to be rejoined with her.  Born in Stringtown, OK, on 1/7/1936, he was 86.

Known as Norwood to all his kin, to everyone else he was Tom.  Tom left Oklahoma when he was 16 and made his way to San Francisco where he joined the Navy at the young age of 17.  He spent the first few years of Navy life as a Boatswain Mate serving on small ships based out of Japan.  He met and married his wife, Yukie, during this time and transitioned over and became part of the U.S. Navy’s Construction Battalion, the “Seabees.”

After relocating his wife and 2 sons to the United States in the early ‘60s, Tom spent the better part of 4 years back in Asia between Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan.  During his tour of duty in Vietnam, he would eventually survive and receive 3 Purple Hearts for wounds received in theatre.  Upon his return Stateside, he packed up the family and moved overseas for the next 7 years.  The first 3 ½ years were spent in Western Australia as part of the Seabee contingent located on the Northwest Cape at the US Navy’s Communications Station there, Harold E. Holt.  In 1969 he relocated the entire family to Oahu, Hawaii, where he was stationed at the Navy’s motor pool in Makalapa Crater near the headquarters of CINCPACFLT.  After 3 ½ years in Hawaii, he moved the family, one last time in 1973, to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, where he would serve out his Navy service with the Seabees based out of Gulfport.  He settled the family in Long Beach and retired from active duty in 1976 after 20+ years of service.

He flourished as a civilian the same way he did in the Service – he could fix virtually anything mechanical and did so for friends, family, companies and created lifelong friendships along the way.  A man of his word, well respected, did right by everyone and never expected anything in return.  A stern, strict young father, and good husband, he worked hard to instill solid values and good work ethic in his children and did the best he could to provide a quality life for his family.  He definitely mellowed as the years passed but never lost his love of playing cribbage, dominoes or virtually any other card game.  He also came to love and embrace bowling in his later years!

He is survived by his 4 sons; their wives;  12 grandchildren and, 25 great-grandchildren.  He will be missed but never forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request donations be made to The Wounded Warrior Program (https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org)

Yukie’s ashes will be joined with Tom’s to be buried at Biloxi National Cemetery on January 31 at 11:00 AM.

Riemann Family funeral Home, Long Beach, is serving the family.