Lt Col Thomas (Tom) Stapleton (Retd) died from natural causes while he was serving as a civilian UN staff member with the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) on 27 May 2004. He was undergoing medical treatment in Ireland when he died surrounded by his family, his wife Margaret, children Noni, Peter and Tom. He was Head of Information Technology at the Force HQ at Dili.
He was born in Dec 1941; he was the oldest of seven children. His father was the late Col John Stapleton who was Director of Cavalry from 1962 to 1972. Tom joined the DF as a Cadet in Dec 1961 and he was commissioned as a Cav Corps officer in Jul 1963. He served in 1 Mot Sqn, 3 Mot Sqn, Cav Workshops, Dep Cav, 1 Armd Car Sqn, HQ C Comd, in DFHQ with P&R Sec, Directorate of Sigs and MITS (Military Information Technology Section). He served with the UN with 40 Inf Bn (1964) and 9 Inf Gp (1967 – 68) in Cyprus, with UNTSO (1989 – 90), 70 Inf Bn (1991 – 92) and HQ UNIFIL (1995 – 96) in Lebanon.
He was buried at St Corban’s Cemetery Naas, Co Kildare on 29 May 2004.
Solas na bhflaitheas air.
Photo credit the Cav Club
