Thomas C. Panian, Esq.

Thomas Charles Panian, 64, of Washington, Pa., died March 29, 2011, at The Greenery Specialty Care Center in Canonsburg, Pa., of complications from a traumatic brain injury. Tom was born Sept. 7, 1946, in Somerset, Pa., to Thomas J. and Elisabeth V. Panian. He grew up in Essex, Md., a suburb of Baltimore, graduating from Kenwood High School before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1964. He served in the Marines until 1968. While serving as platoon sergeant of 1st Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in 1967 in Vietnam, he earned the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in combat and three Purple Hearts. After his honorable discharge, he received a bachelor’s degree in English and education from Towson State University and a juris doctor degree from the Detroit College of Law. He worked as an assistant prosecutor, including as chief assistant, and in private practice in Midland, Mich., from 1976 to 1983 before moving to Washington, Pa., where he kept a private law practice until 2008. He also worked as a Washington County divorce master. He married Judith Welch in 2001. Tom was inducted into the Soldiers & Sailors Hall of Valor in Pittsburgh in 2002. He was a member of the bar associations of Michigan and Pennsylvania, the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Mon Valley Leathernecks, American Legion Post 175 in Washington and the Vietnam Veterans Association. Tom enjoyed the outdoors, including many trips to his camp in Bedford County, Pa.; military history; collecting guns; Shakespeare; reunions with his Marine friends; and cooking. He won several first-place ribbons for his jams and jellies at the Washington County Fair. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Paul Turner. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and her children, Jacob Welch and Misty (Scott) Kaposy, both of Washington; his children, David of Tecumseh, Mich., Sara (Mike) Brown of Chicago and Joel of Washington; his sisters, Mary Turner of Baltimore and Patricia (Tom) Rainer of Bad Aibling, Germany; several nieces and nephews; and his beagle, Harry. The funeral service will be Friday, April 1, at 1 p.m. at Neal Funeral Home on Allison Avenue in Washington. Visitation will be at the funeral home Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. He will be cremated and his cremains interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., at a later date. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org; www.vincentcapodanno.org to support the canonization of the Rev. Vincent Capodanno; or the charity of the donor’s choice. *“Marine, God is with us all today, and you’re going to be OK.” — Rev. Vincent R. Capodanno, lieutenant, U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps*