Thomas James Shinal's Obituary
THOMAS JAMES SHINAL, 81 of Lovettsville, Virginia passed on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
Born Wednesday, January 13, 1943, in Broomall, PA; he was a son of the late Stephen Shinal and the late Mary Drozda Shinal. He was the husband of the late Mary Bauer Shinal.
Tom had a very interesting life and many careers, starting as a printer's "devil" while working with his father on their home printing press, enjoying being an active Boy Scout, and becoming a HAM operator at only sixteen years of age. He graduated high school from Saint Anastasia in Newtown Square, PA, and from there beginning many careers, starting as a teen as an apprentice shipboard electrician at the United States Naval Shipyard. He followed that with becoming a fireman with the Manoa Fire Company #5 in Havertown, PA. He was drafted into the Navy and served on the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam war, where he was an air traffic controller/air operation supervisor, specializing in aviation anti-submarine warfare, serving two tours of duty, and afterwards remaining in the US Naval Air Reserve. While onboard ship, he took a correspondence course and taught himself calculus.
Tom then married Mary Bauer, whom he met on a blind date, and became his lifelong love, much cherished, and very much missed when she passed. As a young couple, they moved with their three young children from Fairfax to Lovettsville, VA and built a home together with plans they bought from Ridge Homes.
From there, he went on to work at AT&T Long Lines, as a representative to Defense Communications Agency (classified). During these careers, he attended night school at three different universities. Afterwards, he went on to start many companies, where he worked for the military with high-energy physics instrumentation; fabricated, installed, and maintained computers for many three-letter organizations; and was the principal investigator of military programs. Tom consulted, lectured, and worked with NOAA; NORAD; ARMY; NAVY; Air Force; DOD; Dept's of Agriculture, Commerce, and State; AT&T Long Lines; CIA; NSA; ASA; solid waste management; and Night Vision Weapons Systems.
He then became a Loudoun County Magistrate, during which he lobbied the state legislature and increased the magistrates' pay by 30%, instituted a Life Skills Program for those previously incarcerated, and developed a video-conferencing system on his own time and using no funds from the county. He was once magistrate of the year.
He holds three patents, and was a member or chaired many organizations, including the steering committee of DECUS (Digital Equipment Corp. Users Group), the American Legion, VFW, Rotary Club, Paul Harris Fellow, National Military Intelligence Association, Loudoun County Criminal Justice Board, and Mensa.
As an adult, he enjoyed being a scout leader in western Loudoun, being on the board of the local PTA, and had many, many interesting hobbies, including astronomy, astrophotography, building a sundial, making his own liqueurs and cheeses, making rings out of quarters, and woodworking, to name just a few.
He leaves his family to cherish his memory including his son, Matthew, daughters, Gina Mary Kilgour of Brunswick, MD and Kelly Shinal; 5 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends for a visitation on Sunday, January 19, 2025, from 2 to 5 pm at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel.
Funeral services will begin at 11:00 am on Monday, January 20, 2025, at the funeral home, located at 158 Catoctin Circle, SE Leesburg, Virginia 20175.
Inurnment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery columbarium at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to VFW Post 1177 401 Old Waterford Road Leesburg, VA 20176.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.loudounfuneralchapel.com
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