<p>
<em>Thomas Bernard Luzon</em> was born on 9 May 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, to Charles and Mary Sweeney Luzon. Tom graduated from Brooklyn Preparatory, and attended Brooklyn Polytech before entering West Point.</p>
<p>
He had such a love of life, and such a positive attitude, that the demanding routine of cadet life never seemed to get him down. Tommy had a handsome, matinee idol look of the silver screen days, and his cadet personality was strongly seasoned with plenty of old fashioned moxie. Could his always smiling, non-complaining, happy-go-lucky manner be attributed to his mother’s County Mayo, Ireland birth? Whatever the reason, his charisma won him many lifelong friends.</p>
<p>
Tommy was injured in lacrosse during his third class year but that loss was A-l’s gain in intramurals. Tom was brigade boxing champion, and who can forget "Doctor Lou” and his A-l Seven Blocks of Granite?</p>
<p>
This writer’s memory is still so vivid of the time when my date, later my wife, and I went to West Point for Tommy’s wedding to the blonde, blue-eyed Madeline Irene Kristiansen. Some of the wedding guests were from the old country and other guests had to act as interpreters to repeat the wedding stories that flowed. Madeline and Tom made a good-looking wedding couple, her fairness so contrasting with his dark coloring.</p>
<p>
Tom went into the Air Force at graduation but never received the Ebbets Field assignment he coveted. He served in the Korean War Airlift from McChord Air Force Base, and in the 15th TC Squadron, stationed in Japan and Larson Air Force Base. He resigned from the service as a captain in 1954 and later served as a major in the Ready Reserves, 336th Troop Carrier Wing.</p>
<p>
Tom’s business resume attests to his superior intelligence, hard work, and outstanding accomplishments. Upon leaving the Air Force he started working as an installer, repairman, and switchman with New York Telephone. Thirteen years later Tom was assistant vice president, marketing. His next position was as personnel, and then operations director, AT&T. In 1974 Tom returned to New York Telephone and served as assistant vice president in the following positions: operations planning and engineering; revenue settlements; and business marketing management. When he retired from New York Telephone in 1983, he became Westchester County, New York, Director of Telecommunications, a position he held at the time of his death.</p>
<p>
He was noted for many business accomplishments. He wrote several articles for data communications publications which helped solidify the company as a leader in the industry; designed and developed an innovative high speed data switching system, which was the first high frequency switched system in the country; saved the company millions of dollars by conceiving and implementing a hierarchical system to resolve engineering and plant data problems; negotiated a $55 million depreciation settlement which was the best in the company history; and through Bell Laboratories, patented the Telephone Electronic Message Unit Measuring System.</p>
<p>
He was a member of the West Point Society of New York, Army Athletic Association, the American Legion, and the Telephone Pioneers of America.</p>
<p>
Tom died unexpectedly in his sleep on 13 June 1987, at his home in Thorn-wood, New York. He is survived by his wife, Madeline; three daughters, Christine Parsons, Karen Quinn, and Linda LoPiccolo; four sons, Thomas, Ronald, Robert, and Kenneth Luzon; two brothers, Jack and Al Luzon; and 13 grandchildren, all living in New York.</p>
<p>
Tom will be greatly missed by those he touched during his lifetime. When this writer, a roommate, last spoke by phone to the family, I realized that part of Tommy from cadet days is still with us, for it was startling, hearing a mirror of his voice, expression, and laughter of long ago, from his youngest son, Kenny.</p>
<p>
Tom was an Acolyte at the Catholic Chapel all four years at West Point, and attended the Holy Name of Jesus Church in Valhalla, New York. He was laid to rest in the cemetery at his beloved West Point. Farewell good friend, "May it be said well done, be thou at peace.”</p>
<p>
<em>A classmate</em></p>