Thomas Edwin Russell's Obituary
Thomas Edwin Russell died peacefully at home on Friday June 12, 2020. Born in Seattle on December 13, 1933, Tom was adopted by his parents, Oscar and Amy Russell, and was a lifelong resident of Tacoma.
In October 1953 Tom met Doris Burns, beginning a loving relationship that lasted his lifetime. They were married September 10, 1955, and together raised four children: Marc (Janet Graves), Shari (Rick Lingbloom), Jan (Donald Rice), and Julie (Armin Schmidt). “Papa” also had nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Tom loved the outdoors and was an avid hiker, climber, and camper. He never turned away an opportunity for adventure, including driving a covered wagon across Washington for the state centennial and a commercial fishing expedition to Alaska. Mt Adams, Mt Rainier, Lake Ozette, and the ocean beaches were favorite local destinations. Uncounted weeks-long and weekend camping trips to the Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone and many other National Parks, and regional rivers and lakes brought much joy to him and all who traveled with him. Many weekends were spent 4-wheeling in the forests with his jeep club. He was known to rise early, drive to Pacific Beach, and dig a limit of razor clams before returning home to open his auto repair shop for the day’s business. As a youth he enjoyed sailing Puget Sound with the Sea Scouts.
A clever man, he could find the pun in everything.
Tom attended local Tacoma schools, graduating from Lincoln High School in 1951. He attended Pacific Lutheran College for a time, until, as he told the story, they asked him to leave following a “minor” explosion in the chemistry lab.
Instead he pursued his passion for automobiles and, with two partners, built and operated Sheridan Motors. Tom then struck out on his own to start Ace Auto Shop, a respected repair business he operated until his retirement in 1999.
In retirement he picked up a book and rarely put it down; the Fern Hill library branch had few patrons more loyal than Tom. He also enjoyed woodworking - fashioning toys for his grandchildren, trophies for family tournaments, and cribbage boards.
A memorial service will be scheduled when local restrictions on gatherings are eased.
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