Thomas Preston Janes was born October 2, 1930, in Medford Oregon, to Ora and Mary Janes. In his early years, Tommy lived in the greater Medford, Oregon area and graduated from Medford Senior High School.
In 1950, at age 19, Tommy attended a Billy Graham crusade with his sweetheart, Delores Arnold and his brother and sister-in-law, Leonard and Wilda Janes. All four of them accepted the Lord at this event. The following week, while attending a Christian concert, Tommy and Delores felt the Lord calling them into full-time ministry. Tommy attended Simpson Bible College in Seattle, Washington and went on to graduate from Seattle Pacific College (University).
On June 26, 1951, Tommy married Delores in Central Point, Oregon, beginning a union that would last 68 years. Shortly after getting married, Tommy and Delores began their work in full-time ministry with the Free Methodist Church, a denomination with which they ministered for over 50 years in the Pacific Northwest. Tommy’s ministry began in 1951 in the city of Laurelhurst, Washington, followed by three years in Tahsis, British Columbia. He then went on to pastor six more churches in Washington State which included Inglemoor, Richland, Hoquiam, Auburn, Yakima and Olympia. While stationed in Hoquiam, Tommy not only pastored, but led a project to build a brand new church building. Those skills came in handy later, when he oversaw the rebuilding of the day care center at Auburn when it was destroyed by a fire. In addition to pastoring local churches, Tommy also served for five years in the Free Methodist Church Conference Office as the Director of Christian Education and Evangelism where he spent a great deal of time traveling to all the churches in the Pacific Northwest Conference.
Tommy was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and was an integral part of their lives. He loved camping with his family, and so many wonderful memories were made during those vacations. He loved helping his kids with home projects and always had the right tool for the job. He loved to laugh and he loved a good joke. He loved to read funny stories aloud, but watching Tommy crack-up and laugh until the tears rolled down his cheeks was always funnier than the actual story. He loved to sprinkle humor into his sermons and on one occasion he preached out of the Sears catalog. He was a strong, humble man who lived out his Christian faith and led by example.
Tommy and Delores retired from full-time ministry in 1995 and lived in a home they built in Federal Way, Washington. During their “retirement” they continued to serve as Interim Pastor for several churches in the Seattle area over the next eleven years. (Pastor’s never really retire.)
Tommy loved to stay busy with home projects; spending hours working outdoors, building an RV storage addition, and doing finish-work on their split-level home.
In 2008 Tommy and Delores relocated to Wilsonville, Oregon where he lived until he passed.
Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Ora and Mary Janes and his brother Leonard Janes.
He is survived by his wife Delores Janes of Wilsonville, Oregon; his son Greg Janes (Phyl) of Fife, Washington; his daughter Debbie Martin (Jim) of Wilsonville, Oregon, five grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren and a host of beloved friends.
Thomas was surrounded by his family when he passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 89 in his home on October 29, 2019. He loved his Lord Jesus Christ, he loved his family, and he loved people. He was deeply loved and we will miss him greatly, until one day when we are reunited in heaven and we, alongside Thomas, shall too see Jesus face-to-face.
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