Gone But Not Forgotten
William T. "Tom" Sehorn passed away peacefully on Oct. 13, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas. He was 74 years old.
Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Barbara:
Mrs. Barbara J. Sehorn; 10750 Gemini Ct NW; Abuquerque, NM 87114-3413
Tom was born on Nov. 19, 1942, to William and Alice Sehorn in Napa, California. As a young boy he would often grab for his father's Gretsch guitar and try to figure out a chord that sounded good and would allow him to sing along with Hank Williams or Hank Snow from his family's radio. Although he learned harmony, he never learned to sight read music. Nevertheless, his love for writing music, playing guitar, and singing along brought him immense pleasure and became a huge part of who he was. Tom was a gentle, loving soul who never met a stranger. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a hearty, infectious laugh. His greatest loves were his family, his friends, and his music.
Tom entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1960 where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and the rank of second lieutenant in 1964. He entered Undergraduate Pilot Training at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He went on to attend Helicopter Pilot Training at Stead Air Force Base in Reno, Nev., graduating in July 1965. During his Air Force career, Tom was assigned as rescue crew commander in Vietnam in October 1966 to September 1967 and flew 350 combat/rescue missions in the Vietnam Air Offensive Campaign. He was wounded in combat and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, 17 Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals and the Purple Heart. In addition, Tom attended F-4E pilot training and flew 80 combat missions as a flight commander in the F-4E from December 1969 to December 1970. When Tom flew combat in Vietnam, he entertained the other troops with ballads, blues and contemporary songs along with his own compositions. He said, "It took the edge off combat fatigue and the adrenaline that tended to stay after the intensity of flying."
His love of music and entertaining continued when he left the Air Force in 1973. He and his family moved to Angel Fire, N.M., where he became a real estate broker and a business owner. During his years in Angel Fire, he continued playing guitar and singing and often entertained at his restaurant, the community center and country club. Tom particularly loved playing golf and teaching his son to play golf, as well as teaching his son and daughter to ski. After leaving Angel Fire in the early 1980s, he continued focusing on real estate and financial services. His love for the mountains and, in particular, Angel Fire, continued throughout his life. He was a proud father and grandfather as well as a great writer who enjoyed sharing his stories and wisdom.
Tom was preceded in death by his father, William Sehorn; his mother, Alice Hannaman; his step-father Lloyd Hannaman; his brother Stan Hannaman; and his son John Thomas Sehorn. He is survived by his daughter, Kristi (Jim) Williams; and his granddaughters Madison, Samantha and Megan. He is also survived by his brother John Hannaman. A memorial service and interment will be scheduled for a later date in Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Written by Kristi Sehorn Williams, daughter. Published in Checkpoints GBNF March 2018)
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