Thomas Gerald Maxfield

Tom was born in early 1940 to Harold Maxfield and Mary (Peterson) Maxfield in Murray, Utah, but grew up primarily in Richland, Washington, before graduating from Richland High School, home of the Bombers, in 1958. Tom was very proud of his hometown and told many stories to his children and grandchildren of his growing-up years, including his love for the board game Crokinole; playing pick-up baseball, football and basketball with neighborhood friends; and “kicking tires down at Zips,” the local hamburger joint. In his late teenage years, Tom spent three summers working for the National Forest Service in the Randle Ranger District in western Washington State, the likely genesis of his love for the outdoors.

Tom’s life was shaped, in part, by the loss of his mother, Mary, to cancer when he was just 12 years old. Tom, his brother, Phil, and sister, Linda, were cared for by his dad and aunt until his dad married his stepmother, Irene Ohlson, in 1954, and Tom gained three stepbrothers: Dennis, Richard, and Ken. Mark, Tom’s half-brother, was born shortly thereafter. Tom loved his family very much and especially appreciated the love Irene shared with him and his family throughout her 90+ years of life.

In 1962, Tom met Judith Peyton in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their relationship blossomed at the conclusion of his mission while both attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. After a brief courtship, Tom and Judy were engaged and then married for time and all eternity on December 19, 1963 in the Salt Lake City Temple.

While at BYU, Tom and Judy had their first two of seven children, Amy and Michael. Tom and Judy both graduated four years later from BYU, Tom with his Master of Electrical Engineering and Judy with a Bachelor of English, the first children to graduate from college in their families. Tom graduated at the top of his engineering class and was hired by Bell Laboratories in New Jersey. Children three through five, Douglas, Matthew, and Adam, joined the family in New Jersey prior to the family moving back west when Bell Labs opened their Denver office. Children six and seven, Benjamin and Steven, came after the family moved to Boulder, Colorado, where Tom and Judy made their home for 41 years prior to moving to Longmont to be closer to family. Tom retired from Bell Labs in 1999.

Tom was heavily involved in his children’s lives as a soccer coach, ski instructor, scoutmaster, and math tutor, to name a few. Despite a heavy workload as a department head at Bell Labs and a bishop in the Church, Tom made every effort to attend his children’s sporting events, choir concerts, musicals, and other activities. He saved up his time-off at work in order to lead his children on numerous backpacking trips across Colorado and New Mexico, including five treks through Philmont Scout Ranch. To Tom, there was nothing more important than his wife, daughter, and six sons. His 27 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren love Grandpa as a kind, “pun”-loving, story-telling man, who loved a good card game, pillow fight, bouncy house, or hike, as long as it was with them.

Faith in Jesus Christ was core to Tom’s life. He led less by word and more by example. He faithfully served countless people through boy scouting and other ecclesiastical assignments, including as a senior missionary with Judy to the Washington DC Temple Visitors’ Center for the Church.

He was preceded in death by his dad, mom, stepmom, sister, and stepbrother. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and his seven children, Amy (Bret), Mike (Kelly), Doug (Jenni), Matt (Sara), Adam (Kasey), Ben (Tim), Steven (Natalee), all of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as his brothers, Phil, Richard, Ken, and Mark.

A visitation with family and friends will be held Friday, January 19, 2024 from 10:00 - 11:30 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1721 Red Cloud Road, Longmont, Colorado 80504. A funeral service will occur at 12:00 PM. A graveside committal will be held at 2:00 PM at Mountain View Memorial Park, 3016 Kalmia Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80301.

Services are entrusted to Howe Mortuary & Crematory of Longmont, Colorado.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Maxfield family.