DL Capt. Thomas Andrew Champley

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, DL Capt. Thomas Andrew Champley

JANUARY 16, 1950 – JUNE 26, 2024

 

We note the passing of retired Delta Air Lines pilot Captain Thomas “Tom” Champley, age 74.  Tom joined Delta Air Lines 12-29-1978.  He is survived by his wife Kathleen “Kathy”, and by his children and grandchildren.

Obituary information can be found online at

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/las-vegas-nv/thomas-champley-11879378

For those who wish to send condolences, I see the family’s address listed in whitepages as

2257 LAUREN DR

LAS VEGAS NV 89134-5530

 

PCN memorial site

 

IN THE CARE OF   Palm Cheyenne Mortuary

Thomas Andrew Champley, age 74, of Las Vegas, Nevada passed away on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Thomas “Tom” Champley passed away on June 26th, 2024 at the age of 74, at his home in Summerlin, Nevada with his wife Kathy and son Tyler by his side. After battling cancer for nearly four long years, Tom said goodbye to his loved ones and took the hand of Jesus while looking out at the Red Rock Mountains that he so greatly loved.

 

Tom was born to Elizabeth and James Champley on January 16, 1950, in Charleston, West Virginia. He was the second of three sons, with older brother Michael Champley and younger brother David Champley. As a child, Tom dreamed of becoming a pilot. He graduated from Parks College in 1971 with a degree in aeronautical engineering and made his dream become reality in 1972 when he entered flight school with the US Air Force. Tom served as an instructor pilot for the T38 during the Vietnam War at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona and later at Randolf Air Force Base in Texas. He transitioned out of the Air Force in 1979 as a Captain and began flying for Delta Airlines. Tom flew for Delta for 27 years before retiring as a senior captain in 2006. His retirement didn’t last long, and he flew again briefly with NetJets and then for Costco until he hung up his wings for good in 2014.

 

Tom met the love of his life, Kathleen “Kathy” Champley in February 1971 and they were married by December 9th of that year in Cleveland, Ohio. The two shared a love for travel, laughter, exuberant Christmas parties, boating, adventure, and moving several times around the country. Together, they have four children, Tyler, Kyle, Kim, and Erin, and nine grandchildren.

 

Tom loved staying busy and immersed himself in many hobbies, including modelers club, softball, RV club, Bible study, motorcycling, boating, and dinner clubs. He loved spending time with his family and often volunteered in his children’s classrooms, as their coach for various sports teams or as a leader with the Boy Scouts. Tom had a love for speed and if he wasn’t in the air flying, he could be found racing his 1970 Plymouth Duster funny car, “The Culprit”, or later, his dragster. His daughters joined him in a junior dragster and they spent many weekends together at Pacific Raceways outside of Seattle. One of Tom’s most beloved memories was an RV trip through Alaska with Kathy, sharing in their love of adventure, art and each other.

 

A funeral service is scheduled for 11am on Saturday, July 20th, 2024 at Tom and Kathy’s beloved church, Mountain View Presbyterian Church in Summerlin, Nevada.