Thomas Sidney Cavin

Thomas Sidney Cavin, 93, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction on March 20 after a brief illness. Tom was born March 23, 1923 in Enid, Oklahoma to Bertha Ruth and Joseph Jackson Cavin. He graduated in 1941 from Enid High School, where he was a star athlete.

Prior to joining the U.S. Navy during World War II, Tom attended the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and met and married Peggy Jean Emerson of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. As a member of the 101st Battalion of the U.S. Navy SEABEES, he shipped out for the Pacific war one week after their daughter Doris Marie was born.

In 1947 Tom joined the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and for the next 31 years, worked and lived around the world. Their travels with the Bureau took the family from Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado to Thailand and Puerto Rico, and finally to Washington, Idaho and New Mexico.

Tom and Peggy moved to Grand Junction in 1978, where they spent their retirement years, greatly enjoying summers on the Grand Mesa with friends and their visiting grandchildren. Tom was active with the Elks, serving a term as Exalted Ruler for Grand Junction Lodge 575. He also enjoyed golf, bowling, and watching sports, especially the Denver Broncos and University of Oklahoma Sooners.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife of 72 years Peggy Jean, who passed away in 2014, and their daughter Toma Ruth Harris. He is survived by his loving companion Ruth Schmoll; daughters Doris Marie Downey (Chuck) of Redstone, Colorado and Linda Sparn (Stephen) of Boulder, Colorado; son-in law Eric Harris (Kris) of Niwot, Colorado; grandchildren Treve Suazo (Dana), Susan Downey (Carlos Jorquera), Tasanee Frashure (Kevin), David Downey (Melinda), Shamae Nichols, Brianna Harris, Andrew Sparn (Bethany), Kellen and Keath Harris; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Known simply as PaPa to his family, he will be forever missed for his humor and kindness, and cherished always for the love of the outdoors that he instilled in his children and grandchildren with whom he spent countless hours teaching how to fish.

Private services are planned. In lieu of flowers, the family requests charitable donations be made to “Goodbye My Friend Fund” for pets, at P.O. Box 1422, Grand Junction, CO 81502 or to St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 1628, Grand Junction, CO 81502 (www.stmarygj.org.)