Homeless vet who died cold, alone remembered

EUGENE, Ore. - Maj. Thomas Egan didn't have a home. He didn't have any family. But he sure touched a lot of people.

Nearly 100 people showed up to pay their respects to the 60-year-old, a man whom friends called a stubborn Irishman, a crazy troublemaker and an eternal jokester.

Egan's body was found covered in snow, his sleeping bag partially covering him, in a Eugene neighborhood on Dec. 17. The temperature was about 15 degrees Fahrenheit at the time, even colder with the wind chill.

The medical examiner determined he died from hypothermia.

Egan served two decades in the Army and Oregon Army National Guard, spent two years serving in Korea and earned several medals and ribbons for his service.

On Saturday, Chaplain John Dinsmore recalled a time they were looking at a map together.

"There would be an area that was called the 'dud area,' and he'd say, 'Well, they've got a pizzeria. This should be called a duderia," Dinsmore said.

Kate Saunders went to college with Egan in Connecticut. She said Egan was intellectual; he earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. But Saunders said that intellect wasn't enough to overcome his addiction to alcohol.

"He was really smart just not a very wise man," Saunders said.

For fellow veterans, Egan's life and death on the streets hit too close to home.

"I think that's what's so emotionally wrenching for us all," Dinsmore said.

After the stories, they said their final goodbyes, in the most appropriate way possible, with full military honors.

Penny Simpson, the house manager for Vet Net, shared Egan's military records.

According to Simpson:

• Egan was born in 1948 in Port Chester, New York.
  
• He received his Bachelors Degree in History at Quinnipiac College, Hamden, Conn., in 1971. 
  
• He received his Masters of Arts Degree in 1983 from the University of Oregon 
  
• Thomas was appointed as a Second Lieutenant through the PMS, Yale University 14 June 1971 as an Infantry Officer.
  
• On Feb. 5, 1977, Thomas was promoted to first lieutenant and subsequently reassigned to the Oregon Army National Guard SPT Co 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry “VOLUNTEERS” as the Antiarmor Platoon Leader.
  
• On Aug. 8, 1980, Thomas was promoted to the rank of CPT assigned to Headquarters and headquarters company 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry. 
  
• On Dec. 22, 1980, Thomas was assigned the Company Commander of Co A 2nd Battalion 162nd Infantry.
  
• Oct. 1,1989, Thomas was reassigned to Headquarters Starc in Salem, Oregon as the Chemical Officer. 
  
• On July 8, 1990, Thomas was promoted to the rank of Major.
  
• Thomas retired from the Oregon Army National Guard honorably in 1991.   

Awards:

• Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters 
  
• National Defense Service Medal
  
• Humanitarian Service Medal 
  
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal 
  
• Army Service Ribbon
  
• Overseas Service Ribbon 
  
• Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon 
  
• Oregon Faithful Service Ribbon with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
  
• Connecticut Recruit-badge