Thomas Vernon Church
Obituary
PUYALLUP, Wash. — Thomas Vernon Church passed away
peacefully on Monday (June 4, 2012) in Puyallup, Wash.
Tom was born on Feb. 26, 1952, in El Dorado to Orville and
Nona Church. His formative years were spent in Newton, where he was active in
scouting and earned both the God and Country and Eagle Scout awards. He
graduated from Newton High School in 1970, and earned a BA in history from
Emporia State Teachers College in 1975.
Tom then commenced a 26-year career with Kmart Corporation,
which brought him to Billings, Mont., in 1987, to Everett, Washington, in 1990,
and ultimately back to Billings in 2000. In 1998, Tom was surprised and honored
to receive the Paul Harris Fellowship Award for community service by a
non-Rotarian from the Everett Rotary Club.
A lifelong sportsman, fisherman and hunter, Tom’s love of
nature and the great outdoors led him to adopt Montana as his true home of
heart. Working for the 2010 U.S. Census, Tom expanded his Montana network as he
made connections throughout the state, and used those connections through his
final occupation as operations manager in Montana for Medical Logistic
Solutions.
Tom is survived by his wife, Omi Preheim Church; three
brothers, Gary (Denise) Church and Larry (Debbie) Church of Newton, and Bob
(Ruth) Church of Canton; two children, Jessica Sullivan (Carl Cole) of
Puyallup, Wash., and Brent (Tami) Church of Issaquah, Wash.; plus two
grandchildren.
At Tom’s request, donations can be made in his name to
Montana Trout Unlimited: http://www.montanatu.org/, or to MultiCare Good
Samaritan Hospice in Puyallup, Wash.:
http://www.multicare.org/home/health-hospice.
Hill Funeral Home of Puyallup, (253) 845-1172, is in charge
of the arrangements.
