Thomas Eugene Zava

Thomas Eugene Zava passed away at 9:30 Tuesday morning, Sept. 10, at Park West Medical Center.

He was born in Victoria (Lunenburg County), Va., on Sept. 16, 1922. Tom’s parents immigrated from Europe in the early 1920s, and Tom held the distinction and privilege of being the first in his Albanian family to be born in America.

Tom graduated with honors from Victoria High School in 1940 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Richmond in 1944.

Tom was a veteran of World War II. He received his basic training in Camp Barkley, Texas, and Medical Corp training at Ft. Benjamin Harris, Ind. He then received secret orders to report to the Manhattan District, Special Engineering Detachment in Oak Ridge. He was the only serviceman selected from the state of Virginia to serve in the SED.

In 1984, Tom retired from K-25 after 40 years of service in chemistry and analytical labs as a technician and supervisor throughout K-25.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Urania Sota and Eugene Spiro Zava; brothers, Michael, Edwin, and Patrick; and sister, Lily Mae Garrett.

He is survived by his wife, Sybil Royster Zava; daughter Andrea Kathryn Zava and husband Dan Wilson; sons David Thomas Zava and wife Sherri, and William Eugene Zava and wife Lauren; and brother, Eugene Spiro Zava Jr. Tom is also survived by his grandchildren David Clay (North Carolina), Theodore Thomas, Corinna Catherine Zava (Portland, Ore.), Emily Kim, Louis Alberto, and June Erin Zava (Germantown, Tenn.), and Dana Wilson Litke and husband Andrew (Falls Church, Va.); and great-grandchildren Mathea Brogan and Hallie Otelia Zava and their mother Cynthia Zava (North Carolina).

Tom served many years as a deacon, Sunday School superintendent, and choir member at First Baptist Church, and was a member of Kiwanis. Because of interest and devotion to the Oak Ridge school system, he was awarded lifetime membership to the Parent Teacher Association of Tennessee.

He devoted many hours conducting tours and doing grounds maintenance for the Bleak House in Knoxville (United Daughters of the Confederacy, of which his wife is a member). As a result of his support and outstanding contributions to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Tom was awarded the Stonewall Jackson Service Medal.

He also enthusiastically embraced square dancing, gardening, wildflower trips, fishing, bowling, and traveling through all of the continental United States.

The family is extremely grateful for the excellent and special care he received from Jerry Lindsay, Lana Rinker, and Teresa Dixon who have a special place in Sybil and Tom’s heart.

The eceiving of friends was at Martin Funeral Home in Oak Ridge from 12 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. The burial was at Anderson Memorial Gardens on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2:30.

Memorials can be made to First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge or the Bleak House in Knoxville.