Augustus Thomas Elison, Jr.

Augustus Thomas Elison

LCDR, USN (Ret),

2 January 1925 - 18 December 2024

Augustus Thomas (Gus) Elison Jr, 99, was born in Pensacola, Florida on 2 January 1925, the son of Augustus Thomas Elison Sr and Bernadette Brigid Soderlind. He was descended from early pioneers who came to Florida in the eighteenth century. As he was known in his early years, “Tommy” was born the eldest in a Navy family, His father’s orders would take the family to far flung assignments throughout his childhood.

In the early 1940s Tommy’s dad was stationed at Naval Air Station Opa Laka, near Miami, Florida, where Tommy attended Gesu High School with his younger brother, George. While watching the Sunday matinee in a Miami theater on 7 December 1941, the film abruptly stopped and the house lights came on. A man mounted the stage and announced the bombing of Pearl Harbor and that all military personnel should report to their duty station. Tommy had borrowed his dad’s car to watch the movie with his friend Mary Cooney and so he hurried home to find his dad dressed in his Navy uniform waiting for him to return with the car. That day would change not only the country, but Tommy’s family forever. Shortly after that fateful day, he would enlist in the United States Navy. After training as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate, he was assigned as gunner in the TBF Avenger and later was shipped out to the South Pacific. A later assignment placed him on the sea plane tender USS Pine Island (AV-12). His battle station was one of three quad 40 MM gun mounts on the ship. He described the sound as deafening, back in the days when sound protection amounted to cotton wads stuffed in the ears, if one remembered to do so. He saw action in the South Pacific leading to the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in 1945. It was in the early years in the Navy where Tommy got the nickname Gus – and Gus it would be for the rest of his thirty-year career, spanning WWII, the Korean Conflict and Viet Nam. It was during the Viet Nam War that he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V for valor.

In his post-military retirement Gus joined Prudential as an agent providing insurance products and financial services to hundreds of families and individuals, many from the military community. It was also during this period that he served the local community and his parish in a variety of capacities, including Scout leader, Master Gardener and volunteer tax preparer for military members and families. A phenomenal golfer, Gus shot seven holes-in-one over his storied amateur career.

Gus is preceded in death by his wife of sixty-one years, Ella Martene Stovall Elison, daughter Mary Lynn Elison Gotz and sons Augustus T. Elison III and Gregory R. Elison and grandson Michael Gotz. He is survived by his sister, Mary Ann Elison Flynn, longtime companion Paulette Gripp, sons Michael, Eric (Sonja), David (Gaye) Elison, as well as eleven grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic School to assist needy students in obtaining a Catholic education.