R. Thomas Westfall

Raymond Thomas "Tom" Westfall, of Seminole, Florida, died March 16. He was 71.

Westfall was born on Sept. 28, 1944, in Clarksburg, West Virginia to Raymond G. and Margaret R. (Banks) Westfall.

At age 18 Westfall joined the U.S. Navy and in 1964 he began his professional career with Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia University designing and building shipboard gear to measure the earth's magnetic field. He graduated from Potomac State College in 1966 and upon graduation relocated to Livermore, California, where he was employed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to design and build state-of-the-art equipment. While in Livermore, he attended and graduated from California State University with a dual major in physics and chemistry. Following his tenure with LLNL in 1978, he and his family moved to Seminole, Florida to be closer to West Virginia. It was in Seminole that he joined the General Electric Neutron Device Department in Pinellas County as a staff physicist. There he was responsible for the operation of the linear accelerator and target assessment facility. He then became vice president of research and development and director of engineering for Advanced Plasma Systems. In 1984, he formed Westech Engineering Inc. serving as a developer and inventor of 50 new products. In the final stage of his career, Westfall worked for Eclipse Innovative Systems and Technologies (INSYTE), the mother company to Eclipse Energy Systems, Inc., (ELCLPSE) in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was chief scientist and one of its founders. He retired at age 66 with more than 40 years of technical experience in electronics, mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry and optics.

Westfall is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lyda S. Mills-Westfall.  Westfall is also survived by his son, Mark A. Westfall and his significant other Vicki Salvesen of Seminole, Florida; two granddaughters, Katie L. Westfall of Seminole, Florida and Hailey A. Westfall  of Haughton, Louisiana and grandson, James A. Westfall  of Morganfield, Kentucky. Other surviving family members include his brother, John L. (Gloria) Westfall of Bridgeport, West Virginia; two sisters, Sue Westfall-Fretwell of San Antonio, Texasand Ruth "Sis" (Glen) Westfall-Shaver of Fairmont, West Virginia; brother-in-law, Neil A. Mills of Largo, Florida; sister-in-law, Janet J. (Robert) Mills-Amtower of Keyser, West Virginia and many beloved in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Douglas I. Mills of Keyser, West Virginia.

A memorial service was recently held in West Virginia. Condolences may be left on the Web. Memorial contributions may be made to Potomac State College of West Virginia University, Science Department, 101 Fort Avenue, Keyser, West Virginia 26726.