Woodlawn Funeral Home Obituaries

Thomas “Tom” Edward Burdick , Age: 68

June 15, 1955 - March 26, 2024

Thomas “Tom” Edward Burdick slipped away from the bounds of this earth on Tuesday, 26 March 2024. He lived at

Pattison Lake in Olympia Washington for over 32 years, where he also died peacefully after kidney failure and a short

stint with cancer. Tom was surrounded in love, peace and God’s grace by his daughter Sarah (Burdick) Desir, son

Matthew “Matt” Burdick, younger sister Jenny (Burdick) Holbert of Fredericksburg VA, and his older sister and brother-

in-law, Dianna (Burdick) and Greg Moore.

Tom was born to Eloise Ina (Brownson) Burdick and James Beven Burdick in Juneau Alaska,15 June 1955. Eloise and her

three children moved to Monona Iowa in 1959, after her divorce and polio recovery. The family moved to Waukon Iowa

in 1960 and Eloise married Harry Meyer on 29 August 1964.

Tom graduated from Waukon Senior High School in 1973, where he was active in theatre, choir, blowing things up in

Chemistry and Physics classes, and was president of his Senior class.

He attended Iowa State University for two years, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. In the summer of 1974, he and

his friend, Jeff Slifka, rode from Waukon Iowa to Juneau Alaska by motorcycle for a month.

He moved to Wahpeton North Dakota where he co-owned/ operated Big Dipper Enterprises in 1975. On 26 November

1976 he married Linda Olmstead in Fargo North Dakota. They lived in Breckenridge Minnesota for a few years as Linda

pursued a career in nursing, later having three children together.

In the early 80’s their young family moved to Stillwater Oklahoma so Tom could complete his college degree. He

graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1984, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering.

Linda and he then moved their family to Renton Washington, where Tom began his career with Grinnell Fire Protection

Systems, later going into business for himself.

Tom was anchor and writer for the local cable show “Forward Focus” in the 1990s, that focused mainly on

environmental politics, particularly advocating legislation for the states’ growth management act. He also campaigned

for local politicians including Patty Murray, elected to the State Senate in 1989; and Sylvia Skratek elected to the State

Senate in 1991.

On 13 February 1992 Tom and Linda divorced; he never remarried. Tom then moved closer to his family in Olympia

Washington and began working independently designing, installing and repairing industrial equipment. He was a

member of Saint Matthews Lutheran Church in Renton Washington, attended Lutheran Church of the Good Shephard in

Olympia Washington, and was a life member of MENSA International.

Tom’s passion was nurturing his family and developing deep friendships including Rick Stoddard, Ray Parker, Glenn

Grimstad, Jeff Slifka, and Brad Larkin. He loved living at the lake, camping, and hiking in nature. Tom had an

extraordinary mind, one who could argue most any position of politics, Revolutionary War history, the thermodynamics

of ceramics, classic novels, or maybe just grilling a steak. Throughout his life, travel was very important to him and his

family, and he accomplished a Tiger Cruise with his son, Marine Corporal Matt Burdick from Hawaii to San Diego in 2010.

Tom was preceded in death by his ex-wife Linda Olmstead, mother Eloise (Brownson) Meyer, father James “Jim”

Burdick, and step-father Harry Meyer. Tom is survived by his children Sarah (Burdick) and Roudy Desir, Matthew

Burdick, and Kathleen (Burdick) Gave; and his sisters Pastors Dianna (Burdick) and Greg Moore, Colonel Jenny (Burdick)

Holbert (US Marine Corps, Retired), Ruth (Meyer) and Dennis Provost, and Julie (Meyer) Wood.

Arrangements have been made at Woodlawn Funeral Home in Lacey for his cremation.

The last family owned funeral home in Thurston County.