Thomas M. Dalton
Mr. Thomas Michael Dalton died peacefully on April 14, 2021, in Lansing, MI, at the age of 69. He is survived by his wife, Deborah; children, Jennifer, Christina, Joshua, and Cassandra; daughter-in-law, Ashleigh, and son-in-law, Christopher; grandchildren, Christian and James; and siblings, Laura, Kevin, and Chris.
Thomas was born on November 14, 1951, in Hammond, Indiana, to Thomas and Joan Dalton. He graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation. Thomas was a dedicated Vietnam War Veteran who served in the United States Navy from July 1969 – August 1973. He completed his Naval Academy Basic Training at the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, IL. After completing his basic training, Thomas was stationed at the Military Ocean Terminal Base Camp in Bayonne, New Jersey. Thomas met his wife, Deborah Lee, in Daytona Beach, FL, on March 23, 1976, and a year later they wed on December 10, 1977. They were happily married for 43 years. Thomas and Deborah welcomed four children into their home. As a grandfather, father, and husband, Thomas was a man of love, honor, respect, and wholeheartedness. He worked for General Motors for 31 years. After retiring from GM, he went on to work for Enterprise, a job he loved. He had a love for sports (e.g., golf, football, and basketball) that could only be matched for a love for his family.
Thomas will be remembered as a loving, friendly, kind-hearted, faithful, easy-going man and known for telling jokes, stories, and listening to oldies. It is his love, warm smile and his infectious laugh that will be missed dearly. Nonetheless, Thomas now has a place in Heaven and is reunited with his grandparents, parents, and fallen Navy comrades. May God rest his soul and always remember our love for him.
Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST at Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel (325 W. Washtenaw Street, Lansing, MI 48933). Pastor Robert Jenkins of Victory in Jesus Ministries will officiate the ceremony at 11:00 am. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Thomas’s life. The family is asking to please send any and all donation to the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. All other gifts/flowers should be sent to Mrs. Deborah Dalton at 4229 Oakcrest Dr. Lansing, MI 48917. Live Stream will be provided by Estes-Leadley Funeral Home, live stream.
34 Messages to “Thomas M. Dalton”
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Bill Dutcher
April 18, 2021 at 4:57 pmIt is with regret that I offer my condolences to his family and say goodbye to a friend and co-worker
Rest easy Tom
Ruth Diehm
April 18, 2021 at 8:45 pmRuth Diehm So sorry for you loss. I worked will Tom.
He will be missed.
Ron Silky
April 21, 2021 at 6:59 pmSo sorry to hear of your loss. Tom was a great guy
Marni Beutler
April 24, 2021 at 2:09 pmI am so sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. I was his union rep. when he worked at GM. He was always so kind, caring and very supportive. I feel really blessed to have many memories of Tom. He always spoke of his loving family. May God wrap his comforting arms around you and help bring comfort and peace. God be with you. Rest in peace, my friend.
Jennifer Dalton
April 25, 2021 at 10:51 amMy dad was the Best father and grandfather. He was always someone who I admired and looked up to. He was an Amazing man and will be missed dearly. I still can’t believe he was taken from us. My heart is heavy. I love you dad. You will always be remembered.
Cassandra
April 26, 2021 at 1:25 amMy daddy was my favorite dad in whole world i well miss him around for holidays and party at house he well be missed miss talking ti him
cassandra dalton
April 26, 2021 at 1:22 amMy dad was one of a kind i cant believe god took him away i still see him in my Harte and gambling miss him doing banking with dad love him rio daddy love Casey your baby girl
Joe Murphy
April 26, 2021 at 8:41 pmI only knew Tom for a couple of years. However in that time I found Tom to he very engaging and a great person with whom to share sports stories. Tom had a zeal for life and cherished his family. Go Hoosiers!
John Kinder
April 26, 2021 at 8:42 pmTommy was the best. He would talk about how much he loved his family. I don’t know of a better man.
When you get to heaven make a bet for me Tommy. Love you man.
Janet L Hawkins
April 26, 2021 at 8:48 pmTo the family of Tom,
Tom and I worked together at Enterprise. Tom was an interesting and kind co-worker. Loved to drive! I would like to express my deepest sympathy at his sudden death. He was a good guy. Rest in Peace.
Richard Bennett
April 26, 2021 at 8:58 pmTom was a great guy to work with at Enterprise. We had many great laughs at work. I would consider him a great person and friend that will be missed by many. I was a friend that was proud to know him. God Bless
Don Wiseman
April 26, 2021 at 9:36 pmI’m really going to miss Tom, he’d always say “how ya doin” to me in his best Mafia gangster voice, and I would respond in kind, it would always make me laugh, he was great guy to chat with on our drives and will be greatly missed at work, God bless you Tom
Jim howe
April 26, 2021 at 10:48 pmI know you will be missed by family and friends he was a friend to me the drivers from enterprise will miss him my condolence for his wife and family.
John Panco
April 27, 2021 at 9:42 amTom was a very easy man to like. We shared many of the same views and likes and I will miss the conversations we had while driving. My deepest sympathy for his family and friends; Tom will be greatly missed.
Jose Salinas
April 27, 2021 at 10:17 amTom, will be greatly missed, I was on his driving team off and on. He would always mention his family on our drives. One could tell he loved all his family. My sincere condolences to the family.
Carlos Vallin
April 27, 2021 at 10:55 amIt was an honor working with Tom! He was a Great Guy! May our Lord Bless his family and give them “peace”!
Beth O’Connell
April 27, 2021 at 1:22 pmI worked with Tom at Enterprise. Whenever I drove with Tom it was a guaranteed GOOD day. He was always so upbeat and so kind. He was a great conversationalist and I always enjoyed his stories…especially the one when he bet on the Spartans to win their bowl game and won out enjoying a fabulous victory dinner! I can still see him smiling that contagious smile of his as he told it. I feel very fortunate to have had Tom touch my life and I am a better person having known him.
I am so sorry for your loss. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Ed Turner
April 28, 2021 at 8:56 amEd Turner
I ONLY KNEW TOM FOR A SHORT TIME .But he was a joy to work with .He made the work fun at Enterprise.He will be missed.
Phili & Leslie Mitchell
April 28, 2021 at 12:25 pmI knew Tom for five years, while driving with him at Enterprise. When I first joined the team Tom was there to greet me and show me the job. Tom was an inspiration not only to his family but to all who had the good fortune to cross his path. Tom was very kind and a very good person and will be sorely missed. Rest In Peace Tom, and may God give peace to his family.
Gary Bitner
April 29, 2021 at 7:31 pmTo the Dalton family, my deepest sympathies to all of you. Tom was more than a co-worker to me he was my friend. I will always remember tailgating with him and his family and going to football games together. I worked with him almost every trip in the last 7 months or so. Whether he led or I did, it was going to be a good day. He was so easy to talk with and get along with. We had many common beliefs. He is going to be greatly missed. Gone but never forgotten. Dilly Dilly my friend.
Lee Colquitt
April 30, 2021 at 1:46 pmTom was a true gentleman with a ready smile. I worked with him for many years at Enterprise Rent a Car and he made every day better with his good nature. My condolences go out to Tom’s family. Rest peacefully pal!
Terry Mayhew
April 30, 2021 at 11:30 pmPrayers to the Dalton Family! Tom and I started at Enterprise days apart. We always sat next to each other. We both always talked family and sports. It took two years before Tom won a bet off me! We were always betting on sports! Small wagers! I quit Enterprise when covid arrived! I still called him and sure will miss a Great friend!
Terry McLaughlib
May 2, 2021 at 2:23 pmBeen extremely sad about this tragic news since I learned of his passing.
Living right next door to my Dalton cousins made for a very happy childhood. Kevin and Chris were more my age but had fun times with all the Dalton’s and the many McLaughlin, Carroll and Dalton cousins who all lived in neighborhood. I remained close with Aunt Joan & Uncle Duke thru their lives. (Miss them both).
I offer my sincere condolences to Debbie and all Tom & Deb’s children and also to Laura, Kevin & Chris. Love and prayers to you all.
Alaina Aleman
May 2, 2021 at 2:51 pmI worked with Tom at Enterprise and was so saddened to hear of his passing. He was such a great guy who loved his family. I am so sorry for your loss. My condolences go out to you through this difficult time.
Patrick Carroll
May 2, 2021 at 11:32 pmSo sorry to hear the news about Tom. My sincere condolences to the Dalton Family.
You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
RIP my friend!
Matt Hollingsworth
May 3, 2021 at 11:10 amTo the Dalton family and friends, I am very sorry for your loss.
I consider myself fortunate that I got to work with Tom for a few years. Tom was so cheerful and pleasant to be around, he’d have you seeing the upside on a down day. If you were working with Tom that day, it was going to be a fun day. His jokes, stories, sports talk, and friendly demeanor would have me smiling as he so often would be.
One of my favorite memories of Tom was that we made a sports bet for a doughnut once, and that we both enjoyed a doughnut together in the end regardless of who “won”
It’s been several years since I last saw him, but I can still hear his voice and see that easy smile.
Debbie Allerding
May 3, 2021 at 2:31 pmIt is with great sorrow I send this condolence to the Dalton family
To my Mighty Casey I am so sorry and I am sending love and prayers every day
He was one of the greats and he will be missed.
Kathie Clifford
May 4, 2021 at 6:32 pmTom such a good man and friend. It was always fun with ,tom always played the oldies when he was driving ,will be missed greatly. So sorry ,my condolences to his family, he will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
Dave Hagerman
May 5, 2021 at 10:48 amTom and I worked together for several years at Enterprise Holdings. He made working a fun thing. The Lansing Team misses him, but I feel he is in Heaven. Thank you God for a life well-lived!
Barbara Wagner
May 12, 2021 at 7:50 pmI’m so sorry of Tom’s passing. He always put his family first and will be greatly missed by all. God bless.
Kristine Smith
May 12, 2021 at 8:05 pmWe are so sorrowful for the loss of Tom. He was a kind, loving, fun and gregarious man who deeply loved his family. He touched a lot of lives and will be missed by our family and many others. Our deepest condolences to Debbie and the family.
Marissa Chavez
May 14, 2021 at 7:38 pmI’m sorry for your loss Cassandra Dalton , Jennifer Dalton , Christina Dalton , josh Dalton Deborah Dalton. My condolences go out to the Dalton family.
Penny Draper
May 14, 2021 at 9:06 pmBill and I dearly love Tom, Debby, their children, grandchildren, her siblings, nephews and parents. What a great loss. Tom and Bill joined Plymouth Congregational Church on the same Sunday, and coincidentally our daughter Josselin and their son Josh were baptized on the same Sunday, and both Tom and Bill worked at Enterprise, though not at the same time. We’ll never forget the lovely 50th Anniversary dinner that Debby and Tom treated us to just last year. He’ll live warmly in our hearts forever!
kevin seaks
May 22, 2021 at 10:33 amso sad to hear of toms passing.worked with him for many years at gm.great guy.we always talked sports.