Thomas Francis Puccio passed away on September 6, 2019 in Tempe, Arizona. He was born to Robert and Sharon Puccio on July 6, 1966 in Illinois, the youngest of three children. Tom grew up primarily in the Midwest, moving frequently with his family. He was an accomplished age-group swimmer from a very early age, beginning a lifelong passion for being on or in the water. He spent many glorious summers swimming, water-skiing, and fishing at his beloved Chub Lake in Duluth, Minnesota. The Puccio family eventually relocated to Southern California where Tom lived for the better part of the next 35 years. He graduated from Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino. He went on to swim competitively and play water polo at Pepperdine University in Malibu where he graduated with a B.A. in 1988.
After college, Tom began working primarily in restaurant management and later in security, but never lost his love of bodysurfing at southern CA beaches. He even named his golden retriever Zuma after his favorite beach there. He joined Masters swimming programs and played golf. Tom loved to visit with family, enjoying annual family Christmas gatherings, trips to Buckeye Lake to visit his beloved older brother Bob, trips to Bass Lake to visit his Lavery cousins, and trips to UCLA to have lunch with his niece, Julia. He was a devoted and hilarious Uncle, spending memorable times with his nieces Jennifer, Julia and Jane. In Jane’s own words, “To me, he will always be the cool uncle who bought me Sonic slushes, played pool golf ball games with me, heckled me about my lame football choices, and was just about the funniest person I knew”.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Sharon Puccio and his brother Bob Puccio, Jr. He is survived by his sister Beth Nakamura and brother-in-law Dean, his nieces Jennifer, Julia and Jane Nakamura, his sister-in-law Joyce Antle Puccio, and numerous cousins.
Memorial donations in memory of Thomas can be made to the KyleCares, the Kyle Johnson Foundation (https://kylecaresinc.org).
DONATIONS
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17