Thomas Henry "Tom" Layman - Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes & Crematory

Thomas Henry "Tom" Layman

October 26, 1959 - January 24, 2017

Thomas Henry Tom Layman, age 57, of Newark, DE, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. Born in Wilmington, DE, on October 26, 1959, he was the son of the late Henry Q. Layman, Jr. and Elizabeth (Breslin) Layman.

Tom proudly served in the US Navy from 1977 to 1983. He was assigned to the USS Nautilus, the Navy’s first nuclear powered submarine and was part of the decommissioning crew when it was decommissioned in 1980. Tom was an avid history buff and enjoyed backpacking and line dancing.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, William J. Opalach, Sr. Tom is survived by his sisters, Betty Anne Opalach of Middletown, DE and Nancy L. Moore (James) of Newark, DE; nephews, William J. Opalach, Jr. (Jennifer) of Wilmington, DE, Brian T. Opalach (Ashley) of Pittsburgh, PA, and James Allan Moore (Grace) of Avondale, PA; niece, Jennifer L. Dalby (Tim) of New Castle, DE; great nephews and nieces, Augustus Rivera, Sebastian Sarbora, Zeus Opalach, Aurora Opalach, Jordan Dalby, Abigail Dalby, Cecelia Moore, and Jameson Moore; and his loving friend, Rhonda Payne of Oxford, PA.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 2 pm to 3 pm on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at the Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE, where a memorial service will be held at 3 pm. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Oxford Silo, Attention: Melissa Pacella, P.O. Box 22, Oxford, PA 19363. Oxford Silo is an organization dedicated to serving the homeless, which was especially important to Tom.

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38 Condolences for Thomas Henry "Tom" Layman

  • Tom will be missed by many. RIP

  • RIP Tom. I will miss you and our conversations my friend.

  • Nancy, My deepest sympathy to you and your family.

  • Tom you were one of the good ones. Dave & I will never ever forget you. RIP.

  • “For it is by self forgetting that one finds, it is by forgiving that one is forgiven and it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life” RIP Tom you will be missed!

  • My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Tom was one of the nicest people I’ve meet. Always a smile and a kind word for everyone.

    He will truly be missed.

  • It is with much sadness that he is no longer with us.

  • Rest easy friend. Your determination to always help others will be sorely missed. My sincere sympathy to Tom’s family and many friends.

  • For Tom’s loved ones, I admired and respected him. He had a way of sharing his journey like no other. I will always remember. Peace be with you all through this time of mourning and reflection.

  • We lost an awesome man…loving, caring and kind. He will be missed by many. I guess God needed another angel. We will miss him dearly.

  • Your smile when we’d spot each other would make my heart smile. I will miss that and you. Love and peace.

  • I am so glad to have met Tom and shared his friendship. Tom was a wonderful man. Very caring and giving. Tom will be truly missed by many! Prayers for the family and for the one who was truly his love, Rhonda.
    With sadness I say goodbye.
    I know you will be dancing with us in spirit.
    Love you Tom, keep on dancing.
    Patti

  • RIP. Tom I got to talk to you a few times at Uncle Bob’s. I enjoyed watching Rhonda dance. I know that you were a great person because you made my friend so happy.

  • my heart is heavy. you were a real friend to me. will miss you.

  • All my memories of Tom are fond memoeries his mentoring me during a very difficult time meant more then he may ever know now, even though I expressed this to him many times,he will be missed ever day his kind words and demeanor were often my inspiration to be a better person, my heart feels much heaverier than before ,I will miss him very much,my daughter wanted me to write how much she like Tom and his tole house chocolate chip cookies were always her and my favorite,rest in peace my friend, Tim and Alexis Conroy.

  • More than a moment and less than an hour was exactly the amount of time it took me to realize the extraordinary Man Tom was,, he will not be easily forgotten, as he will not be forgotten…..
    GOD’S SPEEED and GRACE!!

  • RIP Tom…May GOD comfort all whose heart is hurting & still in shock you are gone.. HE will provide comfort & peace fir those that seek HIM. So sorry for your loss!!!

  • Nancy and Jim, Our deepest sympathy is with you at the loss of such of caring brother.

  • Rip, my friend, strong message. My condolences to his family.

  • Tom was a great friend and always willing to help others. I will miss him.
    Charlie

  • RIP. You are missed. Condolences to all.

  • When I first met Tom we were both in some hard times. I was glad to see those times change for us both. Tom was a pleasure to talk to about all kinds of stuff. Good guy. My condolences to his loved ones.

  • As a fellow Navy veteran Tom and I shared some of our “war stories”. Loved to dance and enjoyed life to its fullest. We’ll miss you and remember the good times at our dances. “Run silent run deep”

  • I just now heard the news I am quite distraught, to say the least. What a shock! Tom and I were very good friends for many years. I enjoyed his intelligence, his outdoor spirit, his perspective, humor and his ability to pack a ton of stuff into a very small space due to having lived on a submarine. He helped me move many times and he even buried my precious, cat, Sophie Marie in his backyard with me. He was so tender and sweet. He wrapped her just perfectly in swaddling clothes, in the forest and he said a lovely prayer. I couldn’t have gotten through her death or burial without Tom’s strength and support. Tom was a damn good friend to me and I am so sorry to hear this news. I want to say I am so sorry to all of Tom’s family and friends. He was a great guy and will be deeply missed. Godspeed Tom. Godspeed my friend.

  • You always had something nice to say. I guess I’ll see you when I see you happy travels my ‘ol friend. Cowboy Phil.

  • Rip my old friend you will be missed

  • Its always sad when we lose a true American like Tom.
    Rest in peace; we’ll miss you at the Cove, Tom.

  • My heart goes out to Tom’s family and especially Rhonda Payne. He was a very nice, caring person with a wonderful spirit. I met Tom on the dance floor at Christiana Pub about a year ago. He was so full of energy and had a beautiful smile. My you find comfort in the beautiful memories you shared. He will be greatly missed!

  • I am shocked by Tom’s sudden passing I too have fond memories, one inparticul is our trip to Virginia to go white water rafting and camping. Tom was instrumental in my early sobriety as well, speaking at the beginner’s meeting at Westminster. Tom was a great man. I’ll never forget how hard he made me laugh telling me about the time the SWAT team took over his apartment. God rest your precious soul my brother. Much love.. …..

  • Tom shared his journey with many and will be missed.

  • Tom was a good man and I enjoyed working with him. He was always positive when I talked with him and we always stopped in the hall to chat. My condolences to the family. RIP Tom.

  • I’m so sorry. You will be missed Tom.

  • Just heard the news. Hard to believe. Tom was a great guy He’ll be missed. RIP.

  • I just learned of Tom’s passing today. I hadn’t seen him in years, but spent a lot time with him playing strategic games when I was younger. I clearly remember many talks with him about history and politics. He was an intense and interesting friend and this world is darker without his light. Rest in peace my friend.

  • Just seeing this. I served with Tom on USS Flying Fish. He was a very good man and shipmate. My best to his family. Tom is missed.

  • Tom was a friend and will forever be shipmate and an honored veteran. I served with him on the USS Nautilus SSN-571. “Rest Your Oars Shipmate We Have The Watch”

  • Rest your oars Tom it was a honor to have served with with you
    I especially remember the Halifax run when you came down from being lookout in the bridge during some really foul weather, went into the upper level RC and fell asleep on the top hat, I don’t think the ELT’s ever forgave you for them having to figure out why your TLD reading were so weird

  • USS Nautilus SSN-571 shipmates, their families and alumni call to attention for Thomas Henry “Tom” Layman and his service to country and to Nautilus. Tom’s passing to Eternal Patrol will be shared with his shipmates and recorded in the log book kept by the Nautilus Alumni Association.

    Tom, your duty is complete sir.
    Let us take up the oar.
    ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

    Romans 8:38-39

    I am sorry for the late entry, we just received the news.
    Fraternally,
    NAAI Chaplain
    John Anderson