Thomas R. McCabe,

Thomas Robert McCabe, Sr., Lt. Col. Ret. U.S. Army, 85 years of age, passed away on February 8th, Thursday at home. He was born in Rantoul, IL on February 4, 1922, the son of Thomas J. McCabe and Helen Drzycinski McCabe. He grew up in Champaign, IL where he graduated from Champaign High School in 1940 and later attended the University of Illinois. He entered the U.S. Army in order to serve in WWII and later with the 82nd AA in the Korean Conflict where he was injured and earned the distinguished Purple Heart. He married Bess Lee Grant on July 26, 1945 and they raised six children. After serving in the Army for 20 years, he retired and finished his education at Texas Western College and become a teacher. He taught grades 5 and 6 at Dolphin Terrace Elementary School in El Paso for 21 years and then retired from teaching. He was very active in his church, loved playing golf, walking his little dog “Kiko” and solving crossword puzzles. In September of 1998, his beloved wife, Bess, preceded him in death after 53 years of marriage. He remarried in March 2002 to Margie Keck Wikoff from Champaign, IL. He is survived by his loving wife, Margie, his 6 children; Tricia Luke (Trinidad, TX), Suzanne Argiro (Collierville, TN), Thomas R. McCabe, Jr., DVM (El Paso, TX), Deborah Sobey (Mabank, TX), Jennifer Butler (Colorado Springs, CO) and Michael McCabe (Flower Mound, TX). He leaves his youngest brother, Raymond J. McCabe (Champaign, IL), 10 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and 2 stepsons; Bruce Davis (Spotsylvania, VA) and Douglas C. Davis (Houston, TX). Visitation will be at Sunset Funeral Home-Northeast, 4631 Hondo Pass, from 5 to 7 PM, Tuesday, February 13th. Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 AM, Wednesday, February 14th, 2007 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 10000 Pheasant Rd, with interment following at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with full military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Homes-Northeast. Please visit on-line register book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net