Thomas Marshall McMahon Sr. "PB"

Known to his loved ones as Papa Bear (PB), Tom leaves his wife of 49 years, Judith Anne (Dunham) McMahon; his son Tom Jr. and wife Tina and grandchildren Jacob and Jenna of Carlsbad, CA.; his son Daniel and wife Bailey and granddaughters Avery and Devon of Annapolis, MD.; his daughter Susanna and granddaughter Sydney of Santa Barbara, CA.; and his son Sean and wife Kate and grandchildren Sabina and Charlie of Portland, OR.; his sister Joan Kerwood of Albany, NY; and his brother Matthew McMahon of Wappingers Falls, NY; 24 nieces and nephews, 35 grand nieces and nephews, and countless close friends.

Born on September 28, 1937, and raised in Albany, New York, Tom was the youngest of five children to Matthew and Mary (Marshall) McMahon. He spent the last five decades in California; living first in San Francisco and San Diego before deciding to plant roots and raise his family in Carlsbad.

In his early years, Tom would help at his father’s produce store in Albany. After graduating from Christian Brothers Academy in 1955, he joined the United States Air Force where he became an air traffic controller. Upon completion of his service, Tom continued his air traffic control career at what is now John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. In 1961, he moved to San Francisco. Tom graduated in 1966 from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business and Finance.

Moving to San Diego in 1967, Tom met his wife, Judith Anne Dunham, on a blind date at Presidio Park in San Diego. The couple soon eloped to Lake Arrowhead and settled into a home in the Crown Point neighborhood of San Diego. After starting their family in Crown Point, the couple soon moved to Carlsbad in 1973 so they could raise their family in a “sleepy little beach town.”

Tom spent the majority of his career working in the commercial real estate industry; first as a real estate appraiser for Home Federal Savings and Loan and then as an asset manager for various organizations, before eventually starting his own company, Real Estate Services Group. Over the last 24 years, he has also been the owner and operator of the Carlsbad Village Theatre, a multi-purpose live entertainment venue on State Street in the heart of Carlsbad.

Always active in his community, Tom was one of the early presidents of the Carlsbad Soccer Club. An avid sports fan, he embraced his Irish heritage through his life-long passion for the University of Notre Dame football team. He shared his love of sports with his family by taking them to numerous events, including the Del Mar Races, Padres games, Charger games, including the glorious years of Dan Fouts and Don “Air Coryell”, and Rose Bowl games. In the winter he enjoyed taking the family skiing in the local mountains and later Park City, Utah.

A fan of the beach, Tom could often be found walking on the Carlsbad seawall. He was known for his warm demeanor and his ability to strike up friendly conversation with strangers and friends alike.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 3rd, 2017, with viewing at 1pm and ceremony at 2pm at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, California. Following the service, he will be cremated and his ashes are slated to be scattered at sea by his immediate family.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested a donation in Tom McMahon’s name be made to the Carlsbad Community Theatre, a local non-profit focused on youth performing arts that he has supported over the years.

Carlsbad Community Theatre

P.O. Box 1956

Carlsbad, CA 92018-1956

Phone: 760.931.8709

www.carlsbadcommunitytheatre.com