Obituary: Roberts, Thomas Owen
Formal attire meant blue jeans without holes.
Fixing up what he had, even though he could buy new.
He found joy and success in hard work and happiness in the simple pleasure of friends.
Friends, Family mattered deeply to Tom.
His childhood friends became lifetime buddies — including Matthew, Christian, Darrel and Bobby.
Tom would do anything for family (and frequently did.)
Tom was one of fifteen grandchildren of Bootsie, all raised in Spokane, summering together at Loon Lake, hunting at the Duck Ranch, holidays celebrated in each-others homes.
An avid duck hunter and wetland conservationist, Tom was a proud member of Ducks Unlimited.
Duck seasons meant long weekends at the family “Duck Ranch” near Odessa.
It was his get-a-way with family and friends… and he was a pretty “marginal” shot too.
Tom worked for Central Premix Prestress most of his life.
He meticulously worked his way up to become the Quality Control Manager, in other words he made sure that what Prestress put up, held up!
During Tom’s tenure at Presstress he helped with some local concrete projects such-as Monroe Street Bridge, Davenport Tower, Spokane Memorial Arena, McCarthy Center, …Tom was on the cutting edge of concrete technologies, recently helping develop a new “heavy concrete” that is receiving national attention.
Tom was extremely proud of the people he worked with and the lasting beauty they created together.
Tom did all of this while LIVING with cancer.
He endured what many would consider debilitating symptoms since 1996.
Though at times he could barely move, Tom pressed through, working long hours, finishing chores, and traveling the world with family and friends.
He was stoic, edifying, and most of all he was Tom.
Tom passed away on August 12th and is survived by two sisters - Katherine Dunegan and her husband Mike, and Nancy Westbrook and her husband Mark and by his sister-in-law Eva Roberts.
Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Donnie, and by his brother Steve.
Tom has four nieces (Colleen, Meagan, Ashley and Kaylee), two nephews (Kevin and Severyn), two great-nephews (Braedan, Christopher) and one on the way (to be named later).
A Funeral Mass celebrating Tom’s life will be held this Saturday, August 17 at 10:30am — 2120 E. First Avenue, Spokane, 99202.
In lieu of flowers the family asks donations be made to Cancer Care Northwest Foundation (e-mail foundation@ccnw.net).