Our beloved Big Tom, Papa, The Irishman and many more terms of endearment, Tom Thommen was one in a million. Tom was born on August 16th, 1942 in Gettysburg, South Dakota. In 1958 Tom and his mother DeElda relocated to Seattle, Washington.
Tom married his College school sweetheart and the brightest star in his sky, Barbara Jean Nooney. They raised their two children, Molly Shutes and Tommy Thommen in Magnolia creating lifelong memories, legendary stories and countless friends. The pinnacle of Tom’s happiness came at the arrival of his beloved grand daughter Sarah Beth. Tom was also a grandfather to Tommy Joe’s three children Connor, Andrew and Anika. Together for 58 years, Barb and Tom placed the highest value on family, friendships and community.
Tom was a natural athlete, gifted salesman, lover of animals, a farmer and a South Dakota Pheasant hunter at heart. Not to mention a card lover, dice roller and huge fan of the horse race track!
Midnite Mart Softball League was the lucky team Tom so deeply loved, where he could be found in left field with his big red, white & blue glove ready to catch! Decades of neighborhood children learned to pitch baseballs, toss footballs, and cast fishing lines under his lively coaching.
Tom’s career in insurance spanned over 40 years, resulting in clients becoming friends, who referred even more clients who became friends. Even at 78, Tom continued to advise his long and loyal list of policy holders.
Tom’s midwestern roots drew him to toiling in the soil, his passion for gardening was enjoyed by all. He delighted in the bounty of his tomato harvest and flower garden, always having a bouquet or extra bag of tomatoes to share. Holidays were important to Tom, but none were more anticipated or enthusiastically celebrated than St. Patrick’s Day. Days before the big day, the beef would be brined, green outfits laid out, the Jameson stock, and the Irish music serenading throughout their home.
To our Tom; Husband, Father, Papa, Uncle, Father-in-law, Brother-in-law and Friend, ‘May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields, until we meet again.
Celebration of Tom’s Life will be held Saturday, June 19th, 2021. 12:00PM until 4:00PM Location: 2700 West Galer Street, Magnolia.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Center for Lung Research at Swedish:
https://give.swedishfoundation.org/
To view the slide show from Tom's Celebration of Life, click here: https://youtu.be/DA0kKtG0Fjw
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