Thomas Eugene Ransford
May 6, 1939 — May 12, 2018
Thomas Eugene Ransford
Tom was born on May 6, 1939 in Humboldt, Iowa, son of Lawrence and Thelma Ransford. He passed away from complications of Alzheimer's disease at t the Franciscan Hospice House in University Place, Washington, on Saturday, May 12, 2018. Tom had been a resident of Gig Harbor, WA for nearly twenty-five years.
Tom attended school in Spirit Lake, Iowa. He was a track athlete. In 1957 he sat a new state record for the half mile which was not broken until 1964. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America when he earned his Eagle Scout award. After high school graduation in 1957, he attended Iowa State University, earning a master's degree in education in 1961. He then taught industrial arts at the high school level for many years. He also taught electronics at several community colleges ending his teaching career in Green River, WA. Tom was given the Oregon Electronics Teacher of the Year Award in 1973-74. Tom also worked in vocational rehabilitation, tax consulting, but the job he loved the most was being the marina manager at the Harborview Marina in Gig Harbor, WA.
Tom was an avid boater and highly skilled navigator, who enjoyed both sailing and power boating. He made numerous long, open-water sailing voyages, including a voyage from San Francisco to Hawaii and an Atlantic Ocean crossing from England to Florida.
He and Nancy were active in the Gig Harbor Yacht Club after joining in 1995 and he served as commodore for the club in 2003/2004.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his sister, Joyce Martin of Iowa; his three daughters, Shelley Des Jardines of Georgia, Cynthia Adamson of California, Lezlie Cowart of Oregon, stepson Steven Arnold of California, stepdaughter Carol Arnold of Florida, twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die". Thomas Campbell
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, June 10, 2018 at the Gig Harbor Yacht Club, 8209 Stinson Avenue, Gig Harbor, Washington 98335 at 2:00 PM
A donation to the Alzheimer's Association would be greatly appreciated.
Tom attended school in Spirit Lake, Iowa. He was a track athlete. In 1957 he sat a new state record for the half mile which was not broken until 1964. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America when he earned his Eagle Scout award. After high school graduation in 1957, he attended Iowa State University, earning a master's degree in education in 1961. He then taught industrial arts at the high school level for many years. He also taught electronics at several community colleges ending his teaching career in Green River, WA. Tom was given the Oregon Electronics Teacher of the Year Award in 1973-74. Tom also worked in vocational rehabilitation, tax consulting, but the job he loved the most was being the marina manager at the Harborview Marina in Gig Harbor, WA.
Tom was an avid boater and highly skilled navigator, who enjoyed both sailing and power boating. He made numerous long, open-water sailing voyages, including a voyage from San Francisco to Hawaii and an Atlantic Ocean crossing from England to Florida.
He and Nancy were active in the Gig Harbor Yacht Club after joining in 1995 and he served as commodore for the club in 2003/2004.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his sister, Joyce Martin of Iowa; his three daughters, Shelley Des Jardines of Georgia, Cynthia Adamson of California, Lezlie Cowart of Oregon, stepson Steven Arnold of California, stepdaughter Carol Arnold of Florida, twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die". Thomas Campbell
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, June 10, 2018 at the Gig Harbor Yacht Club, 8209 Stinson Avenue, Gig Harbor, Washington 98335 at 2:00 PM
A donation to the Alzheimer's Association would be greatly appreciated.
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