THOMAS A. KELLUMS
On May 21, 2020 U S Marine Sgt. Thomas A. Kellums went to help guard the streets of heaven. As it says “once a Marine, always a Marine” and that was his belief, he was so proud to be a Marine. He enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1953, served in Korea, and was honorably discharged in 1956. When he came home, he and Kathy were married on April 7, 1956, he said he would not marry her until she was 18, she was 18 on April 6th and said “well we can get married the next day.” They were married for 64 years, and many thought it would never last, they were too young. His daughter Charisse (Robert Dawes) and son Daniel were the loves of his life. He was an Indian Guide with his son and was there for his daughter when she was a majorette with Beverly’s Devils. He was the son of Elmer Thomas Kellums, Helen Weber and George Weber, all deceased. His Uncle Carl who loved like a brother, also deceased,
Tom and Kathy met when she was 10 and he was 14, she saw him washing windows at the corner drugstore and said “I am going to marry him when I grow up”, he didn’t stand a chance. He made her the woman she is today.
He was a printer by trade and later a printing salesman for a few companies, the last being Modern International Graphics. He was known for not always wearing a suit and for wearing crazy ties. He loved his customers, especially the ladies.
He loved to shop, dance and sing. All the ladies loved to dance with him and knew him around town from shopping. He was a member of the BW Men’s chorus for a few years.
He believed in community involvement, first as a Berea Jaycee until he was an “exhausted rooster”, he was a 50 year member of the Brook Park American Legion Post 610, is a life member of the VFW Post 6676 Brook Park-Berea Post, he was also a Mason, John W. Barkley Masonic Lodge 621 F and Am. He will be remembered as a kind and decent man who believed he would be with God.
Semper Fi
In lieu of flowers, contributions requested to the Church Street Ministries, 1480 West Bagley Road, Berea, OH 44017. Funeral Services will be Wednesday May 27, 2020 in the funeral home at 7:00 PM. His family will greet friends with social distancing and masks from 4 – 7 PM at THE A. RIPEPI AND SONS FUNERAL HOME, 18149 BAGLEY ROAD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO 44130 (West of I-71)
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