Thomas Brigham, Jr
January 19, 1926 — September 5, 2012
Thomas A. Brigham, Jr., age 86 years of Niles, Michigan died at 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at the home of his daughter in Granger, Indiana.
He was born on January 19, 1926 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to Thomas Arthur and Ethel (Wiggins) Brigham, Sr. He served in the United States Army, returning as a veteran of World War II. He lived in Decatur, Michigan for several years, and since 1965 has lived in South Bend and Niles.
Tom was first employed on the New York Central Railroad, and then became a member of the Teamsters Union Local 364 in South Bend. He drove for many years for the Steel Warehouse prior to his retirement.
He was always fascinated by machinery that moves, with a special interest in “trains, planes, and automobiles”. He had built and flown remote control scale model airplanes, both wire remote and radio control. He also participated in scale model railroading; and collected old cars, both full-size and scale model. He and his wife enjoyed ballroom dancing.
On July 24, 1948 in Decatur he married the former Virginia M. “Ginny” Mathias with whom he celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their wedding prior to her death on April 9, 1989. He was also preceded in death by a great-grandson, Evan Brigham; and a brother, Anthony Bartholomas.
Surviving family includes his children, Steven A. Brigham of South Bend, Carol L. (& Philip) Kee of Granger, and Julie A. (& Kent) O’Brien of Old Fort, North Carolina; grandchildren, William (& Sabrina) Hartstein IV, Brandy Hartstein, April Brigham, Keith Brigham, Verdell Bruce Baker, Jr., Aron Brigham, Amber Bundy, Kevin Bundy, Jr., Kristin Baker, Ty Bundy, and Kent Stewart O’Brien II; great-grandchildren Bryan, Stormie, Tyler, Alyssa, Melissa, Paige, Haley, Devin, Kora, Tori, Jacob, and Adalynn; and Tom’s brother Eugene Brigham of Decatur.
The funeral service for Thomas Brigham, Jr. will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 10, 2012 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Pastor Jim Dunn of the Yore Community Church of Benton Harbor officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Tom may be made to the donor’s choice.