"Seeing is believing." For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Tommy Lee Haze, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him. Tommy was born on July 16, 1951 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Stockton, California. He was the son of Tony Haze and Opal Hanks. Raised in Dallas, Texas, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life. As a young boy, Tommy was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Tommy was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Tommy was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Tommy also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Tommy was raised with two siblings. He had one older brother, Larry Haze, and one younger sister, Dianne Melton. Tommy was constantly involved in activities with his family. Tommy and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years. Growing up, Tommy was one of those children who didn't need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Tommy was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Tommy was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Tommy took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in baseball and boxing. In his spare time he liked baseball cards and games. Tommy enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Tommy was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Tommy was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He attended R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas and gained his GED while in the Army. Tommy enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. His favorite class in high school was U.S. History. Love can't be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Tommy. On December 10, 1983 Tommy married Norma Amada Adan at Reno Wedding Chapel of Reno, Nevada. He was totally committed to Norma and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Tommy naturally sensed his spouse's needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Tommy disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times. Tommy was a good father to his children. He had "old fashioned" parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Tommy was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Tommy was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone's schedule. Tommy was blessed with two children, one daughter, Jacklyn M. Haze Corona(28 years old), and one son, Jerry Haze(25 years old). If you gave Tommy a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Tommy was always on task. Without hesitation, Tommy could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupations were a landscaper, maintenance man, and delivery truck driver for the span of 40 years. During that time, Tommy excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Tommy was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Tommy had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties. Tommy was an Army veteran. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He was in the 1st Air Cavalry Division. Tommy saw action during the Vietnam War. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of SP5. He received several awards including a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Soldier's Medal, Air Medal, and a Marksman's rifle M-14. Tommy liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Tommy's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Tommy preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were reading, history facts, and he also loved sports. Tommy was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes. While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Tommy often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. In high school, Tommy played baseball. In his college years. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball, football, boxing, and watch the Olympics. Tommy was active in the community. He was practical and grounded and based his decisions on first hand experience. He was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Politically, Tommy was a supporter of the Republican Party. An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Tommy. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a nonpracticing Baptist. Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Tommy. He never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given him for his many and varied efforts throughout his life were well deserved. Some of his most prestigious awards included his Army awards. Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Tommy had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Europe, Germany, London, France, Rome, and going to casinos like Cache Creek once in a while. When Tommy's retirement finally arrived. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to San Jose, California. In retirement, he found new pleasure in reading and visiting local historic attractions. Even in retirement, Tommy continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him. Tommy passed away on February 12, 2013 at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. Tommy passed away from a heart attack. He is survived by his: wife Haze; his daughter Jacklyn Haze Corona, his son-in-law Adrian Corona; and his son, Jerry Haze. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose, California. Tommy was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California. It is said that some people can't see the forest for the trees. Tommy was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Tommy was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Tommy Haze was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Tommy. He will be missed.

Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park - 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, Santa Clara Co., CA
Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams