George Tomko
(1896-1918)
George Tomko
Location of Plaque 2015
Clarence Court, a street in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, where the Tomko family lived
SS Caserta
Gravestone of George Tomko's parents, Holy Spirit Cemetery, Parma, OH
George Tomko
Birth: 4/20/1896; Cleveland, OH
Address: 831 Clarence Court, Cleveland, OH (parents' home address listed at draft registration); 284 S. Main St., Akron, OH (address listed at time of enlistment)
Demographics: age 21 at draft registration; single; Caucasian; natural born citizen; occupation Printer at B.F. Goodrich Co., Akron, OH (founded in Akron, OH in 1870, originally an American rubber manufacturing company known for automobile tires)
Appearance: Height medium; Build medium; Eyes blue; Hair blond
Draft Registration Date/ Enlistment Date/Rank: unknown draft registration date; enlisted 10/4/1917; Private
Service Number: 2110054
Deployment: 5/10/1918 from Hoboken, New Jersey aboard SS Caserta
Action: 36 Co 9 Tng Bn 158 Dep Brig to Nov 11/17; Co H 348 Inf to Apr 12/18; Co M 47 Inf to death. Pvt. Aisne-Marne. AEF May 10/18 to death. KIA Oct 14/18 [elsewhere death date recorded as 7/30/1918 and cause of death listed as an accident]
Death: July 30, 1918 or October 14, 1918 at age 22; Killed in Action or Died by Accident
Burial: Buried in a temporary cemetery in France, then remains disinterred and reburied. Final resting place: Oise-Aisne American Cemetery, Fere-en-Tardenois, Picardy, France, Plot A Row 5 Grave 3
Next of Kin: Mike Tomko, brother, 831 Clarence Court, Cleveland, OH
Additional Information: father Michael Tomko, born Hungary 1854, immigrated 1890, occupation Day Laborer; mother Mary Tomko, born Hungary 1857, immigrated 1895; older brother John (1886-1954); younger brother Mike (1898-?); the family home on Clarence Court (see image) was in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, known in the past as "Southside;" Clarence Court was located down the hill behind St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral (1912); Tremont is one of Cleveland's oldest neighborhoods and has been historically home to many ethnic groups, including Hungarians, such as George Tomko's family, many of whom sought work in the nearby steel mills.
Obituary for Michael G. Tomko
January 03, 1928 - August 29, 2009
[Note: Michael G. Tomko was the son of Private George Tomko's younger brother Michael. He would have been Private George Tomko's nephew, had George survived World War I. Nephew Michael G. Tomko's middle name was George, presumably given in memory of his deceased uncle. He was born 10 years after the death of his uncle Private George Tomko.]
Michael G. Tomko, Jr., age 81, retired owner of A&M Motor Coach, passed away at the Hospice of Medina County at the Inn on Saturday, August 29, 2009 following a short but courageous battle with cancer.
He was born January 3, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio to the late Michael and Katherine Tomko. He attended Rhodes High School and graduated in 1946. Immediately following high school Michael (Mike) started his own car business, Ohio Auto Sales, as a mechanic, auto body repairman, and used car dealer. His motto was “If your car won’t go, call Tomko!”
Mike served for 3 years in the National Guard of Ohio Company “A” 112th Engineering Battalion as a Combat Construction Specialist, Private First Class from 1949 through 1951. He was united in marriage to Shirley M. Blackmore on September 16, 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio and would they have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in a few weeks.
In 1957, Mike and Shirley moved to Brunswick, Ohio where they raised their four daughters. Mike continued to run his car business, now located in Middleburg Heights, until the early 1970’s when he moved it to Bennett’s Corners in Hinckley, Ohio and renamed it A&M Motor Coach providing mechanical and body repair. Although he retired his auto shop in 1995 Mike continued to actively work on cars for his children, grandchildren, and close friends until July of this year when he became ill.
As an entrepreneur Mike acquired a provisional patent in 2008 for technology he developed for an exhaust recycling system for internal combustion engines hoping to “save the planet one car at a time.” He was in the process of finalizing a utility patent for this invention.
Mike is survived by this loving wife, Shirley, and four daughters, Sharon and her husband Paul Simko of Findlay, Ohio, Laura and her husband Edward Warda of Elgin, Illinois, Pamela and her husband Phillip Reece of Massillon, Ohio, and Christine and her husband William Tracy of Brunswick, Ohio, seven grandsons, one granddaughter, four great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters.
Relatives and friends are welcomed at the Waite and Son Funeral Home, 3300 Center Road (Route 303 and I-71), Brunswick, Ohio on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm and 7:00 – 9:00 pm or online at www.waitefuneralhome.com. A private burial for the immediate family will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial contribution to Hospice of Medina County at the Inn, 100 High Point Drive, Medina, Ohio 44256. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the staff of Hospice of Medina County at the Inn for their caring assistance and loving support.