Thomas D. ‘Tom’ Stokes, 87, a resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away on Monday, May 19, 2008 at Birchview Memory Care in Sedro-Woolley.
Tom was born on April 1, 1921 in Kerrville, Texas, the son of Tom & Ella Garner Stokes. When he was just a few weeks old the family moved to Concrete where Tom was raised and attended school, graduating from Concrete High School with the class of 1939.
In November of 1940 Tom was united in marriage to Margaret McIntosh in Seattle and shortly there after he was inducted into the U.S. Army. Tom was injured just prior to his departure over seas so he served his country as a stateside Medic until his discharge in 1946.
He and his family returned to Concrete and there Tom began a long career with Superior Portland Lone Star Cement. He worked as a quarry foreman in Concrete until 1969, transferring to Seattle working as a shift supervisor until his retirement in 1986.
After retirement he and Margaret made their home in Arizona and they traveled all over the United States together in their motor home until her death in 1990. Tom continued to travel alone looking for that special fishing spot for several years. In 2001 he married Maxine Arnold in Concrete and they made their home there for several years until moving to Sedro-Woolley.
Tom was a history fanatic and loved to share old stories of Concrete and the Skagit Valley with anyone who would listen.
He was also a member of the American Legion in Sedro-Woolley and the Elks Lodge in Mount Vernon.
Tom is survived by his wife, Maxine of Sedro-Woolley. His children, Diane Hopkins and her husband, Jack of La Mesa, New Mexico and Tom ‘Jack’ Stokes and his wife, Sharon of Burlington. Four grandchildren, Diana Fancher, Carolyn Wise, Shannon Teney and Anthony Stokes and four great-grandchildren. Five step-children, Sandra Glover and her husband, Bob of Mount Vernon, Steve Arnold and his wife, Cynthia of Monroe, WA, Marvin Mahlum and his wife, Joyce of Burlington, Rhoda Haussler and her husband, Tim of Sedro-Woolley and Melinda Reinstra and her husband, Jon of Bellingham. Also several step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his first wife Margaret, he was also preceded in death by a brother, Thad Stokes and a sister, Mildred Gardinier.
The family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
A graveside inurnment service will be held at the Forest Park Cemetery in Concrete on Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 1:00 PM with Pastor Tom Ross of the Mount Baker Presbyterian Church in Concrete officiating.
Services and cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.