Thomas Alan Dempsey

Tom was born on May 30, 1950 in Bellevue, Washington, the son of Joan and Jack Dempsey. Despite being stricken with polio at the age of four, Tom attended and excelled at school. He was a lifetime lover of learning. He went on to attend the University of Washington where he met his wife of 43 years, Leslie. They were married on March 18, 1972. After working two years, Tom went on to complete his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Puget Sound.

Tom’s passion has always been his family. He was blessed with his son Matthew who arrived in July of 1985 and his beautiful daughter Kira who arrived in 1987. They were a constant source of joy and enjoyment in his life. In recent years he added his two grandsons, Ta’Raille and Jaden to his heart. While he didn’t have a lot of time at home with them, their visits with them were always a highlight of his weeks. Keeping up with news of their development and growth was always a cause for rejoicing.

Tom had a strong work ethic and after law school, he passed the bar and went on to use his knowledge and skills in the specialized area of ERISA (benefits) law. He worked for over 20 years in the benefits area until his health forced him to retire. He loved the challenge and the complexity of his chosen field.

His faith was Tom’s other passion. He loved his church and his church family. Over the years he went on to serve as an elder at First Christian Reformed Church and as a Watson Groen Christian School board member. He especially loved and respected the men and women he served with and shared their passion for the Lord. It was a great disappointment to him when he could no longer actively serve.

Tom’s favorite place was the family cabin on Hood Canal. His favorite place was out on the deck, with his feet propped up on the bench staring out across the Canal to the Olympic Mountains. One of his greatest joys was watching Matt and Kira grow from toddling across the deck to playing on the beach to rowing their own boat out and dropping a crab pot over the side. The peace of the location rejuvenated him and having family and friends together was always a joy. The Fourth of July celebrations were always memorable.

Tom always had a zest for life. His wry sense of humor kept family and friends on their toes. He loved making people think and ponder but always did it with kindness and respect. He encouraged us all to be the best we could be. He will be sorely missed. The Lord called Tom home early Monday morning, November 2nd. He is survived by his mother Joan, his sister Jan (Rick Allen) his wife Leslie, children Matthew and Kira, and grandchildren Ta’Raille and Jaden.