Thomas Merendino Jr., 72, of Yakima, Washington, passed away on Thursday, June 23, 2022, while camping and fishing at North Clear Lake Campground, 40 miles from his home. Thomas was born on December 23, 1949 to Thomas Merendino Sr. and Irene O’Donnell in Chicago. Thomas was an Eagle Scout for the Boy Scouts of America before he graduated from Fontana High in California, Class of 1967. He volunteered to serve in the army. He was stationed for a couple years as a bridge building engineer in Germany with an honorable discharge in 1974. Thomas went on to study zoology at Humboldt State University in California, Class of 1980. He worked for a time in California on trail and fire crews then headed north to Idaho to work for US Forest Service. Thomas came to Yakima, Washington as a Hydrology Technician in 1993. He retired from the US Bureau of Reclamation in 2016, after 35 years of US Gov’t Service to spend more time camping and fishing with his family. He also loved cycling, skiing, rock climbing, caving, river rafting and even ran a couple of marathons. Thomas was a real sports fanatic, following NFL, NBA, MLB, Tour De France and so on.
Thomas was known as a kind, gentle, outgoing guy, with a good heart, and very humble. He always challenged himself to be a better person. He loved his family. Thomas and Maria would have celebrated 25 years of marriage in August.
Preceding him in death were his parents and his brother, Dominic. He is survived by his brothers Robert and John, his beloved wife, Maria and their children Neris, Norma, Marlene and Theron.
Services will be held at Keith and Keith Funeral Home, 902 East Yakima Ave., Yakima, on July 22 at 10:00am.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com for the Merendino family.
