Thomas William Monnahan |
| Posted 2017-07-16 by Pat R |
| Seattle Times (Seattle, Washington) Sunday, May 28, 2017 Thomas (Thom) William Monnahan passed away on May 3rd, 2017 in Palm Springs, CA, after battling cancer. Thom was born August 30, 1955 To Robert and Marty (Love) Monnahan in Wickenburg, AZ, and raised in Lynnwood where he graduated from Meadowdale High School. After attending Washington State University and Western Washington University, Thom moved to Seattle and eventually became involved in Norm Rice's successful run for Mayor in 1989. He worked in Mayor Rice's administration in various roles, beginning as a Special Assistant, conducting research that laid the foundation for establishing the Department of Neighborhood and organizing for the Education Summit. As a key aide to Mayor Rice, Thom served as his Scheduler for 5 years. Always an advocate for LGBTQ rights, he was in the forefront of the move to defeat initiative I-35 assuring protection of Seattle's domestic partnership policies long before the idea of same sex marriage seemed remotely feasible. Thom and his partner also protested for equal treatment of St. Mark's Cathedral LGBTQ congregation members with a widely-publicized 10-day fast. The church would later bless their 1996 union in a ceremony at St. Mark's. After a heart attack forced Thom to resign from politics, he lived in Mt. Shasta, CA, and Sequim, WA, where he could indulge his love of horses and dogs. He eventually returned to Seattle, working for Mayor Nickels while also earning a Master's in Systems Counseling from the Leadership Institute of Seattle. In 2013, Thom moved to Palm Springs, CA, after falling in love with the city's beauty and sunny weather. He remained an ardent Seahawks fan and loved cheering on his favorite team, in his beloved Hawks jersey, along with other Seattle expats. In Palm Springs, he enjoyed a constant stream of sun-deprived visitors, swimming, and working on his tan, but above all else he loved relaxing on his patio, looking at his garden and drinking coffee. It was during this period that Thom courageously fought pancreatic cancer with immense love and devoted care from local friends and family. His infectious smile, unforgettable laugh, unique sense of humor, and loving and gregarious nature will be missed by all who knew him. A public memorial will be held on July 29th, 2017. More details available at: https://sites.google.com/view/thomasmonnahan/home See Also: Find A Grave |
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