Thomas Frederick Lewiston

Thomas Lewiston of Fall City, WA passed away unexpectedly. He was 65 years old. Tom, a.k.a. Tommy or Grandpa Tom, was born in Ballard, WA on October 27th 1947 to William and Laura Lewiston. He lived in the greater Seattle area, graduating from Ballard High School in 1965. Following High School he married Tana Graignic (later divorced) and had their only son, Zane Lewiston in 1967. Early in his career he worked for Lockheed Shipbuilding where he eventually became organizer and leader of the Locked- Out Lockheed Workers. In 1987-89 he was a key voice in opposition to the Lockheed lockout. He drew national news when he organized a camp down in the state capital where the workers stuck it out for months while fighting for legislation to pay the men and women unemployment checks when companies lock them out. They won a package of ten bills resulting in new policies and programs to benefit displaced workers. He was passionately involved in and dedicated to the sheet metal workers union. Around this time he met Mary Ruth Mann with whom he spent many happy years, later separating. His career continued with work for Boeing Aerospace Systems and Lake Union Dry-dock Company. In 1993 he began a new line of work as an investigator/interviewer for Mann and Peck law firm. He primarily worked on cases involving employment law including harassment, discrimination and wrongful termination of employees. He found this work to be highly rewarding. He attended Evergreen State College and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Labor History and Political Economy in 1996. Tom cared a great deal about the plight of working people. He dedicated time to political campaigns, initiatives processes, antiwar demonstrations, walking picket lines, and any number of political and economic struggles that were aimed at improving the conditions of working people. He always empathized with those who society treated unfairly and had a deep desire to live in a more just and equitable world. He always took an interest in how other people lived and organized themselves socially. Tom spent his final years living in Fall City. He loved a good debate, photography, nature, politics, history, time with friends, grandkids and their activities, family gatherings, his mom’s cooking (especially her macaroni salad recipe), and travel. During his life he had the opportunity to travel around the United States and to Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Turkey, Cuba, Mexico, and the Queen Charlotte Islands. In the Queen Charlotte Islands he was able to research his Haida Indian family history. He is survived by his son Zane Lewiston (Stephanie Lewiston) and his grandson Nathan Lewiston and granddaughter Samantha Lewiston all of North Bend WA; two nephews and one niece, Craig, Joe, and Gina Smith all of Tacoma WA. He is also survived by very special extended family, Tom and Helga Lawrence, Adrian, Isabel, and Elliot Lawrence, Kathy Lawrence, Ivaline Lawrence, Ronda, Steve, Aaron, and Rob Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents William and Laura Lewiston, his sister Patricia Smith, and his brother William Lawrence. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Preston Community Center, 8625 310th AVE SE Preston WA, on Saturday February 2, 2013 at 2:15pm.

Love and Peace.