Obituary: Thomas Price

As anyone who knew Tom will likely tell you, he was a jovial, easy-going man with a contagious smile and laugh, always ready with a joke or to lend a helpful hand to any person or cause in need. Tom never knew a stranger, would befriend anyone with whom he crossed paths, and provided common sense leadership and service in various volunteer and community organizations with which he worked over the years.

Tom was known for always being on the go, and made time for as many hobbies as one man could squeeze in — including golf, running, boxing, fishing, hunting, sport shooting, enjoying wildlife and the great outdoors, mechanics, handiwork, woodworking, and home repair, avid reading, writing, poetry, painting, photography, collecting and listening to records, collecting, cooking, baking, gardening, hosting gatherings and parties, fierce competition in games of every variety, and U.S. and international travel — having visited four continents, around 10-plus countries, and at least as many U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

Tom was equally well known for his boundless work ethic — both professionally and personally. He drove trucks and other heavy equipment his entire career, starting out driving log trucks in eastern Oregon before working on the Bonneville Dam project in the early 1980s. He began working for Carson Oil Company in Hood River in the late 1980s, and made a courageous career move and went to work for KBR in Iraq at Al Asad and Al Taqaddum bases during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Later, Tom briefly returned home to Oregon, quickly finding his next professional adventure on the North Slope of Alaska, working in Prudhoe Bay for various outfits, including Worley. Tom’s mechanical and technical abilities and safety conscientiousness helped fuel his professional success — he could run nearly any piece of equipment or truck he encountered in his career — from the tundra of Alaska, the deserts of Iraq, the orchards of Hood River, or the narrow, dangerous roads of Bonneville Dam and logging roads in rural Oregon.

Tom’s memorial is being held from 2-5 p.m. at the Mt. Hood Town Hall on Highway 35 in Mt. Hood, Ore., on Saturday, Aug. 6. All are welcomed; please join us in honoring and celebrating the 65 truly wonderful years Tom shared with us all. Come when you can, leave when you like.

If you knew Tom, please take a moment to add a memory or story to the website set up by his family to create a lasting memorial for us to all enjoy for years to come. In lieu of flowers, the family hopes you’ll consider donating to the Tom Price Memorial & Scholarship Fund to support causes in civics, for veterans, and education in the trades. The website for the lasting memorial and information on contributing to the memorial and scholarship fund is www.gatheringus.com/memorial/tom-price/9345.

Keep on truckin’!