Tom Tjon, 66, Twin Valley, Minnesota died Friday in his home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Thomas Orvin Tjon was born July 8, 1940 in Bottineau, North Dakota, the son of Telford and Evelyn (McGrath) Tjon. He was raised on a farm in the Turtle Mountains near Bottineau. At the age of eight his family moved to Twin Valley, Minnesota where he grew up on the family farm. Tom attended the Mickelson Country School until the fifth grade, and then went to Twin Valley High School where he graduated. Tom enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17, and retired with an honorable discharge in 1979 as a Chief Petty Officer after serving twenty-two and a half years. Tom's Navy career included tours at NAS Atsugi, Japan, VR-21 NAS Alameda, California, VR-21 NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, and Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska. While in the military, he was an aircraft mechanic and a flight engineer. Tom was also the crew chief on Admiral McCain's (Senator John McCain's father) aircraft where he traveled throughout the world. He flew C-118's and COD's.

Tom was married to Patricia Thompson on January 23, 1965 at Alameda, California. Tom and Pat have two daughters, Sheryl and Carol. After retiring from the Navy, they moved to Twin Valley and purchased East Side Motors, an automotive repair and parts shop. Tom owned and operated East Side for twenty-seven years.

Tom was a gourmet cook, enjoyed reading, and riding his 1965 Harley Davidson. Several years ago he fulfilled a lifelong dream and earned his private pilot's license. Tom spent countless hours flying his Cessna 150 airplane. He enjoyed his flights to Fargo with Pat, as well as his flights to local airports for fly-in breakfasts with fellow pilots. Tom will be remembered for his honesty, humor, hard-work ethic, and doing his best at whatever he did.

Tom was a member of the Zion Lutheran church and a past School Board member and Chairman. He was active in the Twin Valley American Legion, serving as a Commander, and a member of the Small Airplane Association.

Tom is survived by his wife, Pat of Twin Valley, two daughters, Sheryl (LT Brian) Shearer, Kailua, Hawaii and Chief Carol (Chief Steve) Baird, Slidell, Louisiana, two sisters, Jeanette (Roger) Kenner, Leeds, North Dakota and Joann (Roger) Drevlow, Bismarck, North Dakota, four brothers, Jerry, Robert (Janice) and Jimmy, all of Twin Valley, Minnesota, and David (Gail) of Garrett, Indiana, and close family friend and like a brother, Sherman Lerud, and four grandchildren, Alex, Hannah, Deborah, and Hadassah.
He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, January 17, 2007 a t 11:00 AM in the Zion Lutheran Church, Twin Valley. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service beginning at 7:00 PM all in the Anderson Funeral Home, Twin Valley.
Interment will be in the Twin Valley Memorial Gardens, Twin Valley, Minnesota.