Thomas Edward Fallows

HAMILTON - Thomas Edward Fallows, 79, of Hamilton, passed away quietly at his home Wednesday, August 17, 2016.

He was born August 6, 1937 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to the late John R. and Violet (Sampson) Fallows.  He graduated from Mohawk High School in New York where family folklore holds there was no better in all the state in the broad jump and 400 meter during his high school career.  He received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Tom spent five years in the U.S.  Navy, retiring as a Lieutenant.  He was stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego and logged more than 200 landings over two tours aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, CV 64.  He flew more than 20 missions in Vietnam as a Radar Intercept Officer in the F4 Phantom II jet aircraft.  Tom received multiple decorations, including the Presidential Unit Citation and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

On July 8, 1972, he married Sheila Brady in San Diego, CA. Tom spent the early years of their marriage as a general contractor, building homes along the coast in Southern California, Montana’s Flathead Valley, and finally, in 1984 settling with his family in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley where he worked as the Superintendent of Hamilton Water District until his retirement in 1999.

He was a past president of Hamilton Kiwanis Club and a past president of the Ravalli Co. Credit Union. For many years he was a member of Knights of Columbus and held various offices.

He loved his family, fishing, hunting and his friends.  His spirit and his legacy will be kept alive by his beautiful wife Sheila, his adoring daughters, Jennifer Jedda and Kelly Jones, and her husband Anton; two "sweetheart" granddaughters, Juliana and Violeta Jones; big sister, Jeanie Rogers; nieces and nephews and countless friends and extended family that shared in Tom's joys and struggles and lightened the load during his life.

He was preceded in death by his big brother, Jack Fallows.  His friends will tell you he was the most positive, upbeat person they had ever met. His daughters will tell you he was and will continue to be the standard which all other men are measured, and as a father, he had no equal.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 23rd from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Daly Leach Chapel.  Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 24th at 11:00 am at the Daly Leach Chapel in Hamilton. A celebration of his joyous life and reception will be held after the chapel services in the funeral home’s community room.

Private family interment will take place at Missoula Veterans' Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made in Tom's name to the Marcus Daly Mansion Preservation Trust Fund or to the Montana Audubon Society.