Thomas Alvin Lehecka was born on December 12th, 1933 in Brooklyn New York. Tom graduated from Farmingdale Institute of Technology, New York.Tom enlisted in the USAF in 1951, during his 4yrs of honorable service he was stationed 2yrs in Kunsan, Korea as an aircraft mechanic. Tom met his wife of 60yrs, Patricia Langdale, in Oyster Bay, Long Island. He was employed by Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage, New York. They relocated to Merritt Island, FL in 1966. Tom was a proud team member of the NASA Apollo Space Program from 1966 to 1975 where he worked as a Quality Control tech. He joined Martin Marietta at the start of the Space Shuttle Era where he continued work in Quality Control, helping to install the Checkout Control & Monitoring Subsystem at the Launch Control Center. Tom continued with Lockheed and United Space Alliance at the Kennedy Space Center, FL from 1984 until he retired in 1999 in Merritt Island FL after residing there for 35 years before moving to Ridge Manor, FL in 2001. Tom was a 43 year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and sang with the Greater Canaveral Chorus before joining the Sunshine Jubilee Chorus of Winter Park, FL. On August 11, 2015, Tom, beloved brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, and friend, slipped the surly bonds of Earth. to touch the face of God. Though our hearts ache now, we are comforted by the knowledge that we will one day meet again. Rest in Peace, we will miss you dearly.He is survived by wife Patti, his 3 children, 4 grandchildren and his sister Doris Dahringer, of Locust Valley, New York.A celebration of Tom's life will be held on Saturday, September 19th at 1:00pm at the Ridge Manor Community Center (34240 Cortez Blvd, Ridge Manor, FL 33523).