Tom was born in Aberdeen, Washington November 16, 1941 into difficult times. He was the youngest of two children, having an older sister, Kay. His parents died when he was three years old and the children were sent to Fort Logan, Colorado to be raised by their grandmother and aunt. Money was tight and, in a preview of things to come, Tom took up selling greeting cards door-to-door to help with finances as much as he could. After finishing high school, he spent four years in the coast guard, then earned his business degree at the University of Northern Colorado.

Tom met Linda Sivertson, the love of his life, during a 1970 business trip to Regina (Canada). The two had a long-distance, on-and-off romance until they eventually married in 1973. After their wedding, the new couple moved to Longmont, Colorado, where Tom worked as the city accountant and served on city council. During the Longmont years he also obtained his MBA and CPA designation.

Tom's integrity, business intelligence and leadership skills earned him a growing national reputation. From 1977 to 2006, he was sequentially recruited to Anadarko Oklahoma, Ketchikan Alaska, and Cadillac Michigan, where he served as CEO of electric power generation and transmission cooperatives. After a long and distinguished career, Tom and Linda retired to Denver in 2006, spending winters in Arizona. In 2010 they moved full-time to Green Valley, AZ, where they have an active social life and frequently entertain visiting family and friends. Tom had many interests. He played competitive basketball until age 60 and took up golf in his fifties. He was a wheeler-dealer at heart—always on the lookout for a bargain. When not working, he was a regular at flea markets, garage sales and car auctions. He loved his many dogs over the years, and remained close to his extended family, frequently relieving them of their money over a deck of cards. He enjoyed most sports and loved the Denver Broncos. Tom's lifelong passion (other than Linda) was cars. Throughout life Tom bought and sold used cars.

Despite humble beginnings, he rose to personal and career success. Throughout life he espoused values of education, self-improvement, hard work and personal responsibility. He was a role model for all of us, with humility and an infectious sense of humor that drew people to him. Most of all he was a kind man. Underneath his curmudgeonly façade, Tom was eternally generous, always the first to help someone in need, whether a friend, a family member or a panhandler on the roadside. He left the world better than he found it and we need more people like him.

Tom is survived by his wife Linda, his sister Kay, his children Lisa and Greg, his grandchildren, Angela, Joseph, Zachary, Andrew, Rylan and Shaun, and his great grandson Cassian. His beloved dog Coco died hours before Tom, and will accompany him on the final journey. Tom's wisdom, humor and kindness will live on in the hearts of those who knew him. He will be greatly missed but not forgotten.

The family will arrange a celebration of life to be held later this spring.