Obituary of Thomas A. Scheid

Thomas A. Scheid Sr., WA3AXH/SK, 90, of West Norriton, PA passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. He was born in the east end of Norristown PA, on July 18, 1926. He spent several of his younger years on the family farm located on Conshohocken Road, RFD 2, in Conshohocken, PA. As a teenager, his family moved to Swedeland PA, where he met Catherine V. Beatty, who would later become the love of his life and wife of 68 years (1948 – 2016, her death). As newlyweds they lived in Swedeland and Conshohocken, before moving to West Norriton in 1951, where they resided until their deaths. He was a member of St. Francis of Assisi RC Church of Norristown, PA since his conversion to Catholicism later in life. He attended Conshohocken High School. His father's illness forced him to leave school and begin working to support his parents. Tom was a WWII veteran. He served in the US Army from 1945 – 1947. He was deployed to the Philippines where he achieved the rank of Corporal (NCO T5). He was in charge of the motor vehicles of the utilities section of the Quartermaster Depot No. 17. He was in charge of the repair and dispatch 156 2.5 ton trucks, 15 Jeeps, 2 mobile planes, 4 road graders, and 2 bulldozers. He had many fond memories of helping his fellow soldiers learn to drive and delighted in the very occasional arrival of ice cream. He was in the Army Reserve until 1950. Tom was a Lifetime Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Tom's first job was as a driver for the former Rambo and Regar of Norristown. He delivered and picked up piece work done in peoples' homes. Tom often worked two or three jobs at a time to support his young family. He worked for Sam Smith's gas station in Jeffersonville. He demonstrated table saws and other power woodworking tools at Sears & Roebucks in Norristown. He was employed by the former Alan Wood Steel Company as a truck driver for 34 years. He was a devout member of the Steelworkers Union. He owned and operated a gas station at Main and Montgomery in North Wales, PA. He worked as a maintenance man for Timber Lake in East Norriton. He finally retired, after ten years at Montgomery Hospital in Norristown where he held various positions ranging from housekeeping to maintenance. He became an Amateur (Ham) Radio Operator in 1959. His call sign was WA3AXH (William – Able – Three- Able – X-ray – Henry). Beginning in the 1960s, he was active in the local Civil Defense organization. Tom is a Lifetime member of Philadelphia Area Repeater Association Incorporated (P.A.R.A.) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (R.A.C.E.S.) Tom was a volunteer member of the Jeffersonville Fire Police. He is a Life Member of Jeffersonville Fire Company, No. 1. Tom was the son of the late James Young Scheid and the late Viola (Blades) Scheid. His beloved wife, Catherine V. (Beatty) Scheid, predeceased him. He is survived by his son, Thomas A. Scheid (Jr.) of West Grove, PA, daughter Catherine S. (& Michael) Perez, of Norristown PA, two grandsons, his dear sister-in-law, Kathryn Beatty of Perkiomenville, PA., and his longtime childhood friend Henry DeMito of Plymouth Township, who was also the best man at his wedding in 1948 at Ste. Gertrude's Church in West Conshohocken, PA. His Funeral Mass will be held on Friday February 17, 2017 at 11:00 AM from the St. Francis of Assisi RC Church, Marshall and Buttonwood Streets, Norristown PA. Friends may call on Friday Morning from 10:00 to 10:45 AM at the Church. Interment will take place in Riverside Cemetery Co., West Norriton, PA. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to West Norriton Township Police Department, 1630 West Marshall Street, Norristown PA 19403. Thomas has lived in West Norriton since 1951, formerly of He was a member of St. Francis of assisi RC Church of Norristown, Pa He graduated from Thomas worked as He was a Ham Radio Operator