Thomas Michael Aston

Thomas Michael Aston, 86, of Camp Verde, Arizona, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sept. 29, 2024. Tom was born to Alice and Henry Aston on Aug. 9, 1938, in Los Angeles, California.

Tom graduated from John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, where he met Carole Lynn Aston, his wife of 52 years, at their car club.

Tom attended trade school in Los Angeles as a precision machinist, later owning EDM Specialties in Los Angeles. Some of the parts he worked on were for NASA, including the Apollo space capsule, and later the space shuttle. He was a well-known master gunsmith and inventor of the Keeper Muzzle Brake that reduced the recoil of shooting.

Tom and Carole moved to the Verde Valley with their children Greg, Sharon and Boyd in 1977 and later had their daughter Fawn in Cottonwood, Arizona. They were longtime members of Calvary Chapel of Camp Verde.

He was blessed and overjoyed with 11 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. The many family pictures captured just a fraction of the memories created over so many years of an adventurous life.

Tom shared his love of hunting and fishing, camping, backpacking, basketball and softball with family and friends. He competed and excelled in various shooting competitions including Gunsite Ranch, NRA and SASS Yavapai Rangers Club.

Tom’s family and friends were so very important to him, which he freely gave of himself.

A Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 12 p.m., at Calvary Chapel in Camp Verde.