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Pawleys Island Thomas W. Ellison age 78, died Saturday, March 21, 2015 at home surrounded by many members of his loving family. Born on March 7, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA, he was the first son of the late William and Freda Mabel Ellison. The first in his family to graduate college, Tom earned a BSME degree from Drexel University in 1959, a MSME from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1961, and went on to complete several engineering and management training programs. He worked as an engineer for 39 years with General Electric at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, NY, and held various engineering and management positions involving the design, development, and support of nuclear propulsion systems for the Navy. Tom retired in 1998 and moved to Tradition in Pawleys Island in 2000. He served on the Covenants Committee for three years and the Buildings and Grounds Committee for two years. Fervent about his neighborhood and community, Tom served on the Tradition POA Board for the last nine years and was a member of the Murrells Inlet Elks Club, the Waccamaw Neck Civic Association, and the Waccamaw Republican Club. He was an active member of Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church and served on the Finance Committee and as an usher. Devoted to his family, Tom was passionate about tennis, golf, gardening, skiing, genealogy, photography and world travel. He especially enjoyed participating in the Heritage/Tradition Tennis Group, and the Tradition Club Men's Golf League and Gold Tee Group. Survivors include his lifelong sweetheart and wife of 56 years, Dorothy Ellison; children, Donna Briggs (Scott), Thomas Ellison, Jr. (Dianne), Timothy Ellison (Colleen) and Todd Ellison (Marrla); a sister, Ethel Curran, and a brother, David Ellison (Marie). He also had twelve grandchildren he held dear: Kyla, Jocelyn, and Jenna Briggs; Nathan, Jacob, Sarah, and Zachary Ellison; Nicholas and Caroline Ellison; and Gianna, Dante, and Sofia Ellison. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church with Reverend Frank Holsclaw officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church, 9967 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585. Alternatively, donations may also be made to Tara Hall Home for Boys, 510 Tara Hall Road, Georgetown, SC 29440, or to Tidelands Community Hospice, 2591 N. Fraser Street, Georgetown, SC 29440. Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Signing an online guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com/obituaries is welcomed.

Tributes

Thomas Ellison

March 7, 1937 - March 21, 2015