Thomas J. Decker
BRANCHVILLE --Thomas J. Decker, 92, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010.
Born in Branchville, Mr. Decker was a lifelong resident. He was a 1935 graduate of Newton High School, where he was a four-year varsity letter recipient in baseball for pitching. He played baseball for various Sussex County teams and played on a local all-star team against Babe Ruth.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, serving as a B29 pilot in the 40th Bomb Group and was also a B17 Instructor. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Stars, the Asian-Pacific Theatre Ribbon Unit Citation, the 58th Wing 20th Air Force, Air Medal, one Cluster.
When Mr. Decker returned from World War II, he worked for his father and uncles as a builder and flew part-time for Scripps Howard Newspaper. He then joined Selective Insurance Company, where he worked as a claim adjuster, retiring after 42 years of service. He also served as a former building inspector for Branchville.
A member of Branchville American Legion Post 157, Mr. Decker joined the Branchville Hose Co. No. 1 in 1939, was a member for over 70 years and was the chief in 1944, 1945, 1948 and 1966. He coached the Branchville Little League Jets, the Branchville Babe Ruth team and the Branchville American Legion team. His first love was family, friends, flying and baseball.
The son of the late Hosea J. and Mary Murphy Decker, Mr. Decker was also predeceased by his wife, Harriet H. Decker, on Feb. 9, 2009; his longtime companion, Shirley Childress, in March 2007; and two brothers, Allen 'Dutch' Decker and an infant brother, Joseph Decker.
He is survived by two sons, Thomas A. Decker and his wife, Pamela, of Branchville, and Ford Decker and his wife, Kerri, of Frankford; three grandchildren, Erin Schwenzer and her husband, Thomas, Thomas C. Decker and his fiancŽ, Lauren D'Amico, and Michael McCully and his companion, Sara Trauger. He is also survived by Shirley Childress's children, Mark Childress, Bill Childress and his wife, Sharon, and their family, Nicki Grubb and her husband, David, and Carrie Childress; and Shirley's extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St., Branchville. Interment will follow in Branchville Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home, with American Legion services at 7:30 p.m. and firemen's services at 8:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Branchville Hose Co. No. 1, P.O. Box 245, Branchville, NJ 07826; the Branchville American Legion, 157 US Highway 206, Branchville, NJ 07826; or Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ 07860. Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.net.
BRANCHVILLE --Thomas J. Decker, 92, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010.
Born in Branchville, Mr. Decker was a lifelong resident. He was a 1935 graduate of Newton High School, where he was a four-year varsity letter recipient in baseball for pitching. He played baseball for various Sussex County teams and played on a local all-star team against Babe Ruth.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, serving as a B29 pilot in the 40th Bomb Group and was also a B17 Instructor. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Stars, the Asian-Pacific Theatre Ribbon Unit Citation, the 58th Wing 20th Air Force, Air Medal, one Cluster.
When Mr. Decker returned from World War II, he worked for his father and uncles as a builder and flew part-time for Scripps Howard Newspaper. He then joined Selective Insurance Company, where he worked as a claim adjuster, retiring after 42 years of service. He also served as a former building inspector for Branchville.
A member of Branchville American Legion Post 157, Mr. Decker joined the Branchville Hose Co. No. 1 in 1939, was a member for over 70 years and was the chief in 1944, 1945, 1948 and 1966. He coached the Branchville Little League Jets, the Branchville Babe Ruth team and the Branchville American Legion team. His first love was family, friends, flying and baseball.
The son of the late Hosea J. and Mary Murphy Decker, Mr. Decker was also predeceased by his wife, Harriet H. Decker, on Feb. 9, 2009; his longtime companion, Shirley Childress, in March 2007; and two brothers, Allen 'Dutch' Decker and an infant brother, Joseph Decker.
He is survived by two sons, Thomas A. Decker and his wife, Pamela, of Branchville, and Ford Decker and his wife, Kerri, of Frankford; three grandchildren, Erin Schwenzer and her husband, Thomas, Thomas C. Decker and his fiancŽ, Lauren D'Amico, and Michael McCully and his companion, Sara Trauger. He is also survived by Shirley Childress's children, Mark Childress, Bill Childress and his wife, Sharon, and their family, Nicki Grubb and her husband, David, and Carrie Childress; and Shirley's extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St., Branchville. Interment will follow in Branchville Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home, with American Legion services at 7:30 p.m. and firemen's services at 8:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Branchville Hose Co. No. 1, P.O. Box 245, Branchville, NJ 07826; the Branchville American Legion, 157 US Highway 206, Branchville, NJ 07826; or Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ 07860. Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.net.
Thomas J. Decker
BRANCHVILLE --Thomas J. Decker, 92, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010.
Born in Branchville, Mr. Decker was a lifelong resident. He was a 1935 graduate of Newton High School, where he was a four-year varsity letter recipient in baseball for pitching. He played baseball for various Sussex County teams and played on a local all-star team against Babe Ruth.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, serving as a B29 pilot in the 40th Bomb Group and was also a B17 Instructor. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Stars, the Asian-Pacific Theatre Ribbon Unit Citation, the 58th Wing 20th Air Force, Air Medal, one Cluster.
When Mr. Decker returned from World War II, he worked for his father and uncles as a builder and flew part-time for Scripps Howard Newspaper. He then joined Selective Insurance Company, where he worked as a claim adjuster, retiring after 42 years of service. He also served as a former building inspector for Branchville.
A member of Branchville American Legion Post 157, Mr. Decker joined the Branchville Hose Co. No. 1 in 1939, was a member for over 70 years and was the chief in 1944, 1945, 1948 and 1966. He coached the Branchville Little League Jets, the Branchville Babe Ruth team and the Branchville American Legion team. His first love was family, friends, flying and baseball.
The son of the late Hosea J. and Mary Murphy Decker, Mr. Decker was also predeceased by his wife, Harriet H. Decker, on Feb. 9, 2009; his longtime companion, Shirley Childress, in March 2007; and two brothers, Allen 'Dutch' Decker and an infant brother, Joseph Decker.
He is survived by two sons, Thomas A. Decker and his wife, Pamela, of Branchville, and Ford Decker and his wife, Kerri, of Frankford; three grandchildren, Erin Schwenzer and her husband, Thomas, Thomas C. Decker and his fiancŽ, Lauren D'Amico, and Michael McCully and his companion, Sara Trauger. He is also survived by Shirley Childress's children, Mark Childress, Bill Childress and his wife, Sharon, and their family, Nicki Grubb and her husband, David, and Carrie Childress; and Shirley's extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St., Branchville. Interment will follow in Branchville Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home, with American Legion services at 7:30 p.m. and firemen's services at 8:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Branchville Hose Co. No. 1, P.O. Box 245, Branchville, NJ 07826; the Branchville American Legion, 157 US Highway 206, Branchville, NJ 07826; or Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ 07860. Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.net.
BRANCHVILLE --Thomas J. Decker, 92, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010.
Born in Branchville, Mr. Decker was a lifelong resident. He was a 1935 graduate of Newton High School, where he was a four-year varsity letter recipient in baseball for pitching. He played baseball for various Sussex County teams and played on a local all-star team against Babe Ruth.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, serving as a B29 pilot in the 40th Bomb Group and was also a B17 Instructor. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Bronze Stars, the Asian-Pacific Theatre Ribbon Unit Citation, the 58th Wing 20th Air Force, Air Medal, one Cluster.
When Mr. Decker returned from World War II, he worked for his father and uncles as a builder and flew part-time for Scripps Howard Newspaper. He then joined Selective Insurance Company, where he worked as a claim adjuster, retiring after 42 years of service. He also served as a former building inspector for Branchville.
A member of Branchville American Legion Post 157, Mr. Decker joined the Branchville Hose Co. No. 1 in 1939, was a member for over 70 years and was the chief in 1944, 1945, 1948 and 1966. He coached the Branchville Little League Jets, the Branchville Babe Ruth team and the Branchville American Legion team. His first love was family, friends, flying and baseball.
The son of the late Hosea J. and Mary Murphy Decker, Mr. Decker was also predeceased by his wife, Harriet H. Decker, on Feb. 9, 2009; his longtime companion, Shirley Childress, in March 2007; and two brothers, Allen 'Dutch' Decker and an infant brother, Joseph Decker.
He is survived by two sons, Thomas A. Decker and his wife, Pamela, of Branchville, and Ford Decker and his wife, Kerri, of Frankford; three grandchildren, Erin Schwenzer and her husband, Thomas, Thomas C. Decker and his fiancŽ, Lauren D'Amico, and Michael McCully and his companion, Sara Trauger. He is also survived by Shirley Childress's children, Mark Childress, Bill Childress and his wife, Sharon, and their family, Nicki Grubb and her husband, David, and Carrie Childress; and Shirley's extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St., Branchville. Interment will follow in Branchville Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home, with American Legion services at 7:30 p.m. and firemen's services at 8:30 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Branchville Hose Co. No. 1, P.O. Box 245, Branchville, NJ 07826; the Branchville American Legion, 157 US Highway 206, Branchville, NJ 07826; or Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ 07860. Online condolences may be offered at www.woodfuneralhome.net.
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