Thomas W. Wahab | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Thomas Warren Wahab, a longtime resident of Belhaven and Kinston died Sunday, May 29th at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. He was 93 years old.

    Memorial services will be 11:00 am Saturday, June 4, 2016 at St. James Episcopal Church and will be conducted by Father James Lupton. Burial with follow in Belhaven Community Cemetery with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force. There will be a reception at the church following the committal service at the cemetery. The family will receive friends other times at the home.

    Thomas Wahab was born February 22, 1923 at the small crossroads of Lynnsburg in Hyde County, North Carolina. He was the youngest of seven surviving children to farmers Charles and Alberta Wahab. His mother died less than a month after his birth, and Thomas was raised by his Uncle and Aunt, Carl and Emma Wilson of Belhaven. Thomas graduated from Belhaven High School in 1940.

    With World War II looming, Thomas joined the expanding armed forces by enlisting in the US Army Sergeant Pilots Program in the Summer of 1941.He earned his wings in October 1942 and would go on to serve 30 years as a pilot in the US Army Air Corps and later the US Air Force, retiring in 1970 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Thomas accrued over 6,000 flight hours across 45 plus aircraft during his military career. His primary aircraft were the C-47 "Gooney Bird" during World War II; the RB-47E Jet Bomber during the Cold War, and the C-130E "Herkie Bird" in the Vietnam War.

    After retirement from the US Air Force in 1970, Lenoir Community College (LCC) of Kinston, NC hired him to be the Program Head for their newly created Aviation Department. Thomas taught for 20 years at LCC until another retirement in 1990 as the Dean of Technical and Vocational Education.

    Thomas was an avid fisherman, hunter and sportsman. A 1960 graduate of North Carolina State University, he was a diehard Wolfpack fan. Other hobbies included Federal Aviation Administration written test examiner, raising three Eagle Scouts, serving at Mary's Soup Kitchen, Church Elder, Sunday School Teacher and messing about in boats.

    Married twice, Thomas was preceded in death by his eldest son, Scott Wilson Wahab. He is survived by his wife Karen Neilson Wahab and three more sons: Mr. James W. Wahab of Badin, NC, Mr. Bradley W. Wahab of Waxhaw, NC, and Major Neil W. Wahab, US Army. He is a proud grandfather to 10 grandchildren, including Mrs. Naomi Sawyer of Plaistow, NH, Mr. Benjamin S. Wahab of Charlotte, NC, Mrs. Emily Jakubison of Richmond, VA, Joshua and Jordan Wahab of Denver, NC, Ethan and Katie Wahab of Waxhaw, NC, Grace, Creighton and Lanie Wahab of Honolulu, HI and step-grandchildren Samantha and Christopher Johnson of Badin, NC, along with an additional six great-grandchildren.

    Memorials may be sent to St. James Episcopal Church, Belhaven, NC; First Presbyterian Church, Kinston, NC or Disabled American Veterans.

    You may address condolences to the family visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

    Paul Funeral Home of Belhaven is honored to serve the Wahab family.