Thomas Wesley Mcgill

Thomas W. McGill, 83, died at his home on January 21, 2012.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and his four children; Matthew, George and wife Yoshie, Maren, Gail and seven grand children.

Tom was born in Cheyenne Wyoming on March 31, 1928. The family moved to Portland, Oregon in 1936. He attended Sunnyside and Duniway grade schools, Washington High School and Oregon State College (University) where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Tom was drafted into the service during the Korean War and attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was a second lieutenant in the Armor Division at Fort Knox and trained the young men in tank warfare.

On June 10, 1952 he married Phyllis Horseman in Portland and they traveled back to Fort Knox. He received an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in Armor in December 1953 and returned to Portland with his young family.

On January 13, 1954 Tom began a thirty-five year career with Pacific Tel. & Tel. which took the family from Portland to Roseburg, back to Portland, Seattle, and finally Grants Pass in the fall of 1965. Pacific Tel.& Tel. became Pacific Northwest Bell that became US West. Tom retired June 6, 1989 from US West as the Manager of Community Affairs for Southern Oregon.

Tom’s community activities were Rogue Basin Flood Control and Water Resources Assn., President of Grants Pass Rotary (1975-1976), Chairman of the Josephine County Park Board, RSVP Board, United Fund board, Chamber of Commerce Board
(President, 1980), and Oregon Scenic Waterways Board.

Tom’s hobbies were running the Rogue River in his drift boat, fishing, golf and reading his magazines and books.

Tom was selected as the Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen in Grants Pass in 1969. He received the Bell System to Bronze Vail Award in 1977 when he rescued his next-door neighbor, Bill Renton from the Rogue River.

Memorial contribution can be sent to Four Way Community Foundation, P.O. Box 652, Grants Pass, OR. 97528

Memorial services are pending.