Like the timber he cut for over 50 years, Tom Fennimore has been felled. His children and loved-ones were by his side throughout his last days and months. He was greatly loved and respected by many and his loss leaves a hole that only time can heal.
Thomas Alan Fennimore, 82, of Silverton, Oregon, passed away on June 11, 2023, after a tough battle with leukemia. He was born on May 12, 1941 to William and Mamie Helvey Fennimore in Silverton. He married Sylvia Charlotte Barth at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mount Angel, Oregon on Sept. 22, 1962. They were married for 50 years prior to her passing in 2013. Tom and Sylvia went on to have nine children: John (Emma) of Mount Angel; Keith (Carmen), Mark (Noemy), Lloyd and Sam of Silverton; Karl and Glenn of Stayton; Irene McKinney of Elgin; and Sarah of Portland.
Tom grew up in the Silverton hills and in 1959, at the age of 18, he began work in the logging industry as a choker setter. He became a timber cutter later, a job he held for the next 50 years, retiring at the age of 70.
Tom loved his family, dogs, hunting, gardening, and being in the outdoors. He was a volunteer firefighter in Mount Angel for 13 years. His presence and demeanor were greatly respected by all who knew him.
Tom was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia; parents, William and Mamie Fennimore; his brothers, Tim, David, and William Jr. He is survived by his nine children; 23 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; his brother, Robert; and his sisters, LaVeta Kowash, Kathleen Robinson, and Colleen (Lex) Barth.
Graveside services were held at the Holy Rosary Cemetery, Scotts Mills, Oregon on June 16. Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel. The family wishes to express their appreciation to the Bristol Hospice Foundation for their care and thoughtfulness throughout this time.
