Obituary
The song “Seasons of Love” asks, “How do you measure a life?” and answers “In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife…Measure in love.” The life of Tom Woods was woven with answers like these and with love.
Tom grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, the beloved youngest of five children of Helen and Phil Woods. Attending Catholic church and school, being a boy scout, volunteering in the community, and playing outside in the neighborhood with his brother Steve shaped Tom’s early days. Tom began to forge his own path when he demanded to attend public high school his senior year. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst with a B.S. in forestry, managing to memorize Latin tree names which he would gleefully share on family hikes later.
Tom took a big leap to travel west as a chaperone for his Aunt Jean, a Maryknoll nun. The Greyhound bus took them to San Francisco, and they flew to Hawaii. After a couple of months there, Tom’s sense of adventure led him to Portland, Oregon where he found seasonal work at the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest research station. He fondly remembered years on field crews doing forest inventory in California, Washington, and Oregon and living and partying with work mates who became life-long friends.
Work continued for Tom with roles as timber cruiser (Atterbury Consultants), forest planning analyst (The Campbell Group), and timber tax appraiser (State of Oregon Department of Revenue in Salem). He eventually took a management position with the Oregon Department of Revenue in Portland so that he could spend more time with his family.
Tom and his wife, Joan Mullen Woods, were blessed to become parents to Moya in 1999. Tom loved being a father, goofing around with Moya, watching woodworking shows together, and reveling in Moya’s accomplishments. Tom was a steady, solid, kind, and loving husband. He walked forward in partnership during both challenging and happy times.
Tom thoroughly loved being outdoors—gardening, hiking, cycling, camping, and fishing—and passed that love on to his daughter. He traveled to places such as the Cayman Islands and Belize to scuba dive and compared floating in the deep water to being in outer space. Among Tom’s other international travels were several trips to Ireland, a place that connected him to his Irish ancestry and his favorite beer, Guinness.
Music was a big part of Tom’s life. He sang with a Catholic boy choir and Satori Men’s Chorus, burst into song around the house, made up new, silly lyrics, and shared his favorite musicians with family and friends. He felt music in his body, dancing around the house and even to “White Wedding” at a nephew’s wedding reception.
Tom was above all a Boston Red Sox fan. He was on cloud nine when his team finally broke the curse and won the World Series in 2004. Imagine Tom’s surprise when he became dear friends with a Yankees fan in the later 2000’s!
Tom would say he acquired his irreverence from his three older brothers. Some of us would say it was a part of his nature and that his wicked sense of humor came with the package. We are all grateful that Tom’s sense of humor remained as he courageously lived for many years with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). We will miss Tom’s jokes, but we know that Moya carries the gene and that “Tomisms” will live on.
Tom always made himself available to help others. He volunteered with Meals on Wheels, food pantries, Friends of Trees, the Concordia Neighborhood Association, and Habitat for Humanity. His heart was big, and the support he gave to friends and family was unconditional. Tom’s commitment to personal growth led him to Adult Children of Alcoholics and opened the door for healing in the Woods family.
We will remember Tom always as a good and faithful friend, a hard worker, a supporter of peace and harmony, an instigator of laughter and joy, a jokester, and a true and loving partner and father. His sparkly blue eyes that twinkled with mischief will shine always in the hearts of those who love him.
A celebration of Tom’s life will take place on Sunday, November 15 in the afternoon. Details forthcoming.
Donations in Tom’s memory may be made to Satori Men’s Chorus (satorichorus.org) or CurePSP (psp.org).
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