Vernon Elmer "Tommy" Tomasini

Vernon Elmer “Tommy” Tomasini, age 92, of Grants Pass, died April 10, 2014 at Three Rivers Medical Center.

A committal service with military honors was held at Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Salinas, California. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Remembrances may be made to Honor Flight, Inc, Attn: Diane Gresse, 300 E Auburn Ave, Springfield, Ohio 45505 or honorflight.org.

Tommy was born September 30, 1921 in Spreckels, California to Elmer Wilford Tomasini & Minnie Vasquez Tomasini. Spreckels is a small community that developed around the Spreckels Sugar Factory outside of Salinas, California where Tommy grew up and attended Spreckels School through the 8th grade, then graduated from Salinas High School. In February 1942 he enlisted in the United States Marines, Sixth division. He served in the Pacific and received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received May 14, 1945 on Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Islands, Japan and was honorably discharged in February 1946. On November 25, 1946 he married Shirley Jean Lewis and they had four children, Kelley, Kathleen, Mickey and Martin before later divorcing. On May 26, 1967 he married Hilma Azell Ferguson-Inman. During his life he worked for the Soledad Police Department, drove ambulance and drove truck. In 1995 he moved from Salinas to Grants Pass.

In his younger years, he enjoyed roller skating and auto racing at the Salinas Race Track. He loved to tell jokes and loved his two cats, Easter and Mama Kitty.

Tommy is survived by his wife, Hilma Azell Tomasini of Grants Pass, Oregon; three children, Kelley Tomasini of Oregon, Mickey Tomasini of Arizona, and Martin Tomasini of California; two stepchildren, Janis Davis and James Hicks Sr, both of Oregon; a sister, Patricia Yant; a half-sister, Jeanette Tomasini-Patron; ten grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathleen Heinz; a stepdaughter, Sandy Bell; his parents; three sisters, Adaline, Velma, and Lois; a brother, Deo “Bud” Tomasini; and a half-brother, Darwin Tomasini.