Thomas N. Thomason

Dad was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1960 and served in Thailand as a communication specialist. Dad was a very modest man when it came to his service with the Army and didn’t talk about it much.

He was, however, proud of the fact that he was on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Competitive Shooting team, and he did very well in competitions, earning medals and trophies. He said that when the shooting team leader found out he was from Idaho they figured he would be a sure shot with a gun and they were right. He received his discharge papers the day before the Vietnam War was officially declared, but he always said that they were already fighting before that. He returned to Fort Smith, Ark., to finish his service and while there he met Linda Maier, who was attending the University of Arkansas. They found they had a lot in common and had both been raised in the Pacific Northwest, about 200 miles from each other. They fell in love and were married on Oct. 26, 1964, at Vancouver, Wash.

Together they settled in Portland where they had a son, Byron, in 1965. Shortly after, they moved to Lewiston and in 1966 had a daughter, Julie. In the late 1970s Tom and Linda and their two children moved to Winchester, where he remained until 2022 when he moved to Lewiston to be closer to his children. Mom and Dad were married for 45 years until her passing in 2010. He never remarried, stating that she was the only woman he would ever love.

Dad started work in Portland as an ambulance driver. His career would eventually lead him back to the beautiful mountains of Idaho as a logger. It was hard work and long hours, but he loved it.

A highlight in Dad’s logging days came in the early ’80s when he was on a Pacific Northwest Loggers Tug-O-War team, from Orofino, that competed all over the Northwest in logging shows.

Though they were one of the smallest teams by weight, they out pulled most of the competition and placed high on the podium. Dad retired from logging but didn’t stay retired for long. He bought another truck and started long hauling scrap metal to Utah for several years and was still going strong into his 70s hauling grain on the Camas Prairie during harvest and then worked for the Evergreen Highway District in Winchester as an equipment operator until he fully retired at 79 years old.

Dad loved the outdoors of Idaho and all it had to offer. Summers were meant for being outside camping, long adventure drives and picnics. He loved to hunt and was great at spotting game that most couldn’t see. He was a very active father with his children, teaching them about the outdoors, hunting, fishing, how to ride motorcycles and play sports. He would come home from work tired, hot and dirty but would still take the time to throw a football or play catch with the baseball with both his children. Often when he was working long hours in the woods and his children had sport events in other towns, he would drive his logging truck directly to that town just so he didn’t miss a game. Dad’s love for his family continued with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He attended many events through the years to show his support and love for his grandchildren. They will miss their Papa Tom.

Tom is survived by his two children: Byron (Charlene) Thomason and Julie (Chad) Erickson; grandchildren: Hailey (Matt) Anderson, Chelsey Thomason (Jace Waters), Ryley (Chris) Garrett, Andy (Amanda) Erickson and Jacob Erickson (Jennifer Ramey); and seven great-grandchildren: Alana, Kylin, Emma, Cade, Brielle, Peyton and Brantley, all of Lewiston. He is also survived by four remaining siblings: Gary Thomason, Barbara Jerdee, Bob Thomason and Roger Thomason.

Dad will have a graveside service for all to attend at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 27, at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens, 3521 Seventh St., Lewiston. A covered-dish dinner will follow at the VFW Hall, 1104 Warner Ave., Lewiston, as well. During the dinner we encourage anyone who wants to share a story they have of Dad to please do so. If you’re unable to tell it, please write it down so that someone can read it for you. We can think of no better way to share his life with everyone than a great story.