Thomas Willman Obituary

Thomas Willman HANAHAN - Thomas Allen Willman, 83, husband of the late Charlene Goff Willman, a longtime resident of Hanahan, went to be with his Lord on November 18, 2024, after a short battle with cancer. Relatives and friends of Tommy Willman are invited to attend his Homegoing Service at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Carolina Memorial Funeral Home, 7113 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406. Burial, with military honors will follow in Carolina Memorial Gardens. The family will greet friends from 10:00 AM until the time of service. Flowers are accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to: Northwood Academy, 104 Charger Drive, Summerville, SC 29486. Tommy was born in Springfield, Ohio on March 31, 1941. He was the son of Edgar and Dollie Meehan. Tommy was a true patriot, joining the Marine Corps in April 1958 at the age of 17, serving until March 1964. He was a civilian for a short time before enlisting in the Navy in May 1965, serving his country until his retirement in 1991.Tommy achieved the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, the highest enlisted rank. His service included time in Vietnam from 1968 - 1969. Tommy's specialty was Submarine Force Independent Duty Corpsman, and he was assigned to at least 5 submarines over an 18-year period. Tommy was on the USS Bluefish, USS Mendel Rivers (2 assignments), USS George Bancroft, USS Daniel Boone, and USS John Adams. He was known as "Doc" on the ship. These military assignments took him to destinations all over the world. Upon his retirement from the Navy, he worked at MUSC for 12 years in various capacities. Tommy's home in Hanahan had access to the Goose Creek Reservoir. He spent many hours fishing with his wife, son-in-law Derrick and grandson, Blake, sometimes fishing from the bank or taking their boat out and fishing in the reservoir. He looked forward to the annual fishing trip with the men from his church and son-in-law Derrick. Tommy was a huge football fan, following the Cleveland Browns, The Ohio State Buckeyes, and the SC Gamecocks. He was a member of Northwood Baptist Church and Northwood Outdoor Club and enjoyed much fishing and fellowship with those men. Tommy is survived by his daughter, Kelli Charlene Thiem Johnson (Derrick); grandson, Blake Johnson; his brother, Garry Willman (Simone); sister, Patty and her significant other, Tom Bundy; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Willman and Judy Willman and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 41 years, Charlene; brothers, Richard, David, Elgar (Booty), Daniel, Terry, Timothy, and Russell. The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to Summerville Estates in South Carolina and Dublin Retirement Village in Ohio for their exceptional care of Tommy. Arrangements by CAROLINA MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 7113 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406.