Thomas William Godbey 1925 - 2016



Thomas William "Tom Trombone" Godbey, of Deerfield, formerly of Boulder City, NV, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his children, on January 22, 2016. He was 90.
Tom was born on November 6, 1925, in Miami, AZ, to Thomas Mayborn Godbey and Erma Ouida Drumm. He was educated in Boulder City and graduated high school at 15, when he began attending Pasadena Junior College, until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He began his active service three months shy of his 18th birthday, on August 18, 1943.
The Navy realized his potential and immediately placed him in radar training. He achieved the rank of radarman second class and was assigned to Argus Unit Thirty One, before serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations on the attack transport USS Frederick Funston, the submarine chaser USS PC-1602, and the destroyer USS Shelton.
Tom's active service in the Navy ended on November 22, 1946. After his service in WWII, he continued in the Naval Reserves and was called up for active duty to serve in the Korean War, again as a radarman second class. After the Korean War, he attended the University of Nevada, Reno, and earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He married Joyce Arden Woodel on July 14, 1956, in Hollis, NY.
Tom worked for General Electric for 33 years as an electrical engineer, specializing in altimeter systems for satellites. Among the projects for which he is listed as a contributor, are the GEOS satellite, mapping sea surface typography from space, and the Skylab S-193 radar altimeter experiment.
During his naval service, Tom quickly learned that each Navy vessel had its own band and was delighted to be asked to play with each of them. His first love was always music, especially jazz, and he loved playing trombone and jamming with as many bands as would let him.
He was a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Utica, where he spent many years singing with the choir and coordinating the brass section for holiday services. Tom was also a member of Ziyara Shrine and the Utica Masonic Lodge, and directed the Ziyara Drum and Bugle Corps for 35 years. He also enjoyed woodworking and took special pleasure in making music stands, book cases, and a rocking horse for his grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joyce; his sister, Alice Koontz; and his brother, Jim Godbey.
Tom is survived by his three daughters, Jane Godbey, of Endicott, NY, Barbara Godbey-Miller and her husband, Scott Miller, of Deerfield, and Judy Petroski and her husband, Ray Petroski, of Deerfield; his six grandchildren, Angela (Cucci) Rice and her husband, Jason Rice, of Ridgefield, CT, Lauren (Sliwinski) Kranz and her husband, Doug Kranz, of Smithtown, NY, Ellen (Miller) Luther and her husband, Greg Luther, of Astoria, NY, Amy Miller, of Latham NY, Alyssa Petroski and her partner, Cullen Riley, of Glens Falls, NY, and Jaryd Petroski, of Boston, MA; three great-grandchildren, Thomas William Rice, Lucas Sawyer Rice, and Layla Marie Kranz; his sisters, Laura Godbey, Kelly Smith, and Ila Godbey Clements Davey, all of Boulder City, NV, Jane Woodel Tietjen, Carol Chalmers; and numerous nieces and nephews, scattered across the USA and abroad.
The family would like to thank Dr. Kevin McCormick, and the nurses in his office, for their excellent care over the years, VNA and Hospice and Palliative Care. A special thanks from all the family is extended to Alyssa Rivera, who provided excellent loving care in Tom's home.
Calling hours will be on Friday, January 29, from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, January 30, from 9-11 a.m. at Dimbleby, Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral Home, 13 Oxford Road, New Hartford, NY.
The funeral will be held at noon on Saturday, January 30, at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 1640 Genesee Street, Utica, with Rev Anita Mohr, officiating, and will be followed by a reception onsite.
In lieu of flowers, friends may consider gifts to Shriners Hospitals for Children or to Hospice and Palliative Care.
Messages of sympathy at www.dfwefh.com.