Thomas Jerome Beauchamp

Thomas Jerome Beauchamp passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on July 5th. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, sincerity and unwavering love for family and friends. He is preceded in death by parents Wendell and Lucille (née Colombatto) and brother Ronald.

A proud Arizona resident, Tom graduated from Camelback High in 1959 and went on to receive both a BS in Business Administration and an MA in Education from ASU. While in school, he met Janet Campbell and the two were married in 1968.

Tom spent the majority of his career in the Education and Political arenas. In 1973, he became the President of the Arizona Education Association and was also an active member of numerous state and local councils focusing on the training and development of teachers and administrators. In addition, Tom spread his entrepreneurial wings by owning and managing art and office supply stores in both Phoenix and Flagstaff.

In 1994, Tom met Southern Belle and fellow education advocate Lynn Hutchinson who he lovingly referred to as his “Bubba.” They married 10 years later and remained devoted to each other ever since. Tom’s pastimes included coaching, boating, fishing, water and snow skiing, and camping. He loved taking long RV trips and never missed an opportunity to spend time or celebrate special occasions with extended family. He and Lynn shared the love for travel with California, Hawaii, Orlando (Disney World), Washington DC, Williamsburg, and the Gulf Shore beaches among their favorite destinations. Tom adored animals (especially his precious dog Lady) and was also an avid football fan: Every Saturday and Sunday in the fall you would find him behind the BBQ grill cheering on his beloved ASU Sun Devils and Arizona Cardinals.

Tom is survived by his wife Lynn, son Scott (Toni), daughters Shelby (Dan McCaulley), Loretta (Scott Bowman), Leigh Ann (Travis Joy), and grandchildren Lindsey, Jenna, Sean, Ryker, and Casey. He was also a devoted Uncle to Steve (Carolyn), Kathy (John Rumpf) and Kathy and John’s children Jack, Julie, Joey, Jeffrey, Jane, James, and Jay. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the local Humane Society on his behalf. A celebration of life will be held later this year in Phoenix among cherished family and friends.