Tom Joseph Sawyer, 71

Tom Joseph Sawyer of Hayden, Idaho, passed peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, June 25. He was 71 years old.

Join his family for a celebration of his life on Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 located at 406 N. 4th St, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and will be open to all who knew and loved him.

Tom was born in Macon, Ga., to Nellie Mae Reeves Sawyer and Alton Walter Sawyer on April 26, 1944. He had four brothers and sisters.

Tom served in the United States Marine Corps, where he met his first wife Christie (deceased) and eventually settled in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Tom and Christie had two children: Jeff, of Mechanicsville, Md., and Tiffany of Grants Pass, Ore.

In Bonners Ferry Tom met the woman who would become his second wife, Sharon (Fulton). He immediately became father to two additional girls: Kristin of Kent, Wash., and Angela of Rathdrum, Idaho.

Tom worked as a cable splicer for GTE and then Verizon for almost 35 years.

He was well known as an “all around nice guy” and was the first to offer help wherever and whenever it was needed. Tom was an avid collector of guns, Marine Corps memorabilia, and all things John Wayne, as well as a member of the Marine Corps League, VFW, North Idaho Duck Club and the Fernan Shooting Range.

Tom was a fierce protector of his family and a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend; he will be deeply missed by all who were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to know him.

Tom was preceded in death by his father, mother, sister Lynn and sister-in-law Wareen. Tom is survived by his wife Sharon; son Jeff Sawyer with his wife LuAnn and his daughters Melissa and Nicole; daughter Tiffany Weldon with her husband Bryan and their children Nick, Tony, Austin, Brianna and Alyssa; daughter Kristin Larson and her children RJ and Shelby; daughter Angela and her children Desmond, Chase, and Oliveah; his brother Rick Sawyer and his wife Sue along with their children of Redding, Calif.; brother James “Snooks” Sawyer along with his children of Panama City Beach, Florida; his sister Mae Kramer and her husband David of Hemet California; best friends and sister-in-law Ken & Barbara Stevens of Rathdrum; Rod & Sandy Crecelius of Hayden; and Ron and Pat Jones of Hayden; his great-grandchildren Karley, Kiley, Isabel, Brysen, Mason and Tristan; as well as countless other in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A special thank you to the wonderfully caring nursing staff of Lark’s Haven on Honeysuckle, and Auburn Crest Hospice for the care provided to him in his final days. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

His loss will be felt by many and his memory will live on in their hearts forever. English Funeral Chapel of Coeur d’Alene has been entrusted to handle final arrangements.

Visit Tom’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.