- Date Of Birth: May 2, 1939
- Date Of Death: October 21, 2021
- State: Colorado
Tommy Richard Nail
Tommy R. Nail, 82, of Denver, CO, passed away October 21, 2021 at Lighthouse Assisted Living, in Centennial, CO.
Tommy was born May 2, 1939 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Agnes Edna (Stephens) Nail and William Thomas Nail.
He attended public school in Levelland, TX until 8th grade, where a motorcycle accident interrupted him finishing school. Once recovered, he learned the value of hard work through various jobs, and even ran the local Drive-Inn movie theater around 14 years of age. He eventually went on to obtain his GED.
Tommy joined the Air Force on May 8, 1956.
He was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver where he attended nuclear weapons school. After his graduation, he was assigned to the newly formed U.S. Air Force Academy as an instructor, where he taught the first class of the new Air Force Cadets.
In 1957 he was transferred to Felixstowe, England, while Donna met him there in 1958. Tom and Donna traveled most of England and Scotland while living there for 3 years. Since Tom was an instructor, he was assigned temporary duties in Casablanca Morocco and Tripoli Libya with the 91st fighter bomber squadron.
Michael Timothy Nail was born on June 2, 1960 at Bentwaters Air Force Base, England, 6 weeks premature. In January 1961 Tom and Donna returned to the U.S., and lived in Ft. Collins, Loveland and Windsor, Colorado where they had several businesses.
Donna gave birth to their second son, Tommy David Nail on September 9, 1963 in Loveland, Colorado.
Tom was employed by the newly formed North Weld County Water District in Windsor and became the first field man for the district.
In 1965, Tom and Donna with their kids moved to Victorville, California where Tom was offered a position with DynaElectron Corp as an instructor for pilots and support crews for Vietnam. They lived in 9 different states including Hawaii during the next 4 years.
In 1969 they returned to Windsor, CO and managed the Valley Drive Inn restaurant. He also built Dunkin Donuts in multiple states and in July 1971 they moved to Denver, Colorado residing at 8282 Vine Street for over 49 years.
Tom’s ultimate passion was airplanes and flying and he loved attending air shows when he wasn’t flying himself. Tom opened several businesses, including a flight instructor school, furniture stores in Texas and he had several rent houses throughout the years. He also started AAA Steam and Sauna out of the garage of his house, which served as his main business, to help start many others, including Tanfastic, a tanning salon and numerous hair salons with Creative Illusions and Esprit Day Spa being two of the most memorable.
Tom and Donna were able to commute from Denver to Texas for many years for business ventures and many Texas family reunions, along with his in-laws, Dave and Leah Claus.
Tom and Donna traveled extensively in Tom’s private airplanes and their different motorhomes throughout the years. They started a wooden model airplane business in their later years when they met Tim and Kim from Vietnam. In 2004 Tom traveled to Vietnam with them to tour their factory for himself and spent a week in Vietnam.
With the failing health of his in-laws, David and Leah, he and Donna took care of them and when Donna became sick herself, he took care of them until their passing’s. Tom was a very generous man who would help anyone, at any time, who needed the help.
He went to live at Lighthouse Assisted Living in April of 2021, after a few medical issues, when he was no longer able to care for himself, where he passed on Thursday, October 21, 2021.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, father, William Thomas Nail and mother, Agnes E. Stephens Nail. Sisters, Bobbie Melcher and LaVera Harper and a brother David Sexton. Tom is survived by his sons Mike and Tommy D. and their wives Roberta and Lisa. Sisters: Jo Nail Dunn and husband, Paul of Canton, OH; Janice Doty and husband, Danny Doty of Kemp, OK; Billie Hall and husband, Larry Hall of Whitesboro, TX and Theresa Barnard and husband, Don of Alpena, MI. Brothers: Glen Nail and wife, Kaye of Burnet, TX and Dewayne Nail and wife, Sandra of Vernon, TX. Tom’s grandchildren, Jeremy, Shane, Shane’s wife Chyan, Katlyn and Evan, and two great grandchildren Payton Nail and Charlie Danford and one brother in-law Harmon Claus, of Bullhead City, AZ and many, many, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Family and friends are encouraged to share stories and photographs here on Tom’s website (click appropriate tab above)
