Memorial

Tommy was a charter member of Council 6478. He passed away Monday, October 17, 2005 in Norman. He was born October 11, 1927 in Yukon, Ok. He was the only child born to J. T. and Opal McCallon Burkhead. Tom grew up on a farm in the Piedmont Community. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was stationed in the Philippines at the end of the war. He earned a civil engineering degree from Oklahoma A & M University and worked on the construction of hospitals, airfields and oil pipelines in several Mid East countries, Greenland and Venezuela. Tom was retired from the Federal Aviation Administration. He enjoyed the study of languages and in his retirement gave much of his volunteer time to teaching English as a Second Language to adults through Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Purcell and to children through the Purcell Elementary School. He also used his knowledge of Spanish to serve as an interpreter at free medical clinics operated by the Olivet Baptist Church in OKC and by the Purcell First Baptist Church. Tom received numerous awards for his volunteer work including the National FAA Hispanic Volunteer Award. Tom is survived by his wife, Carolyn of the home in Norman, his son Tony of OKC and his 2 daughters, Mary of Dallas and Susanna of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. A Memorial Services was held at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Purcell.