Charles Thomas Holdcraft, 87, was reunited with our Creator on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 in Winter Park, Florida. Tommy transitioned peacefully, with his son and daughter holding his hands. Tommy was born on October 28, 1935 in Camden, New Jersey. His parents and he moved to Coral Gables, FL as a child in 1942, and Tommy later graduated from Coral Gables Senior High.
Tommy learned to fly at age 16, served four years in the United States Air Force, attended the University of Miami, and was an airline pilot for 36 years, flying more than 30 years with Eastern Airlines. A particularly interesting note is Tommy’s father was a commercial pilot as is his grandson, Davis. Tommy was known for his dedication to those he loved as well as to his health and fitness. For decades, he could be found running all over Miami. He ran all the major marathons across the U.S. including the Boston Marathon. His other passion and dedication was to his wife, Patricia. They met in high school, boating on Biscayne Bay, and dated for several years. They ended up going their separate ways, then reuniting. Their love was extraordinarily special. As Patricia became ill, Tommy dedicated himself to her loving care. Patricia passed away in 2013, and their final wish was to have their cremains mixed & spread over the bay where they met.
Tommy is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Mertz (married to Tom) son, Tom Holdcraft (married to Colleen) stepson, Curtis Mase (married to Monica), stepdaughter, Daryl Ann Place (married to Alex), 10 grand children, and his beloved dog, Tailwind. Tommy also leaves behind a group of loving friends and neighbors who not only looked out for each other, but also gathered regularly for an evening walk to the lake to watch the sunset.
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, December 28, 11:00 at First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, 125 N. Interlachen Ave., with a reception to follow.