Thomas LeRoy Caspers

Tom LeRoy Caspers, age 76, of Anacortes, Washington, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2026, after a battle with esophageal cancer.

Tom was born on September 27, 1949, in Mason City, Iowa, to Dorothy and LeRoy Caspers. Tom enjoyed his early childhood in Iowa, growing up on a farm, among a large extended family, particularly close to his aunt, Velda Watkins, and Caspers cousins.

Tom moved to Crystal, Minnesota in 1963 when his mother married Jim Coe. The new blended family included Tom’s three sisters (Marilyn, Jane, and Cheri) and Jim’s two sons (Terry and Larry).

Tom joined the Navy after graduating from high school in 1968. He proudly served four years in the Navy, working as an electrician on Navy jets. He was deployed on aircraft carriers, including the Enterprise, and spent two years at sea, earning Vietnam service medals.

After leaving the Navy, Tom attended Brown Institute in Minneapolis, receiving training as an electronics technician. When he graduated, he moved first to California and then to Washington, holding electronic test and supervisory positions at several companies. But after twelve years in electronics, Tom found his true calling as a real estate appraiser. After working with other appraisers, Tom opened his own appraisal business, operating it successfully until his retirement in 2011.

Tom and Margaret Sullivan married in 1977. They were happily married for almost fifty years. Together, they went bike touring, camped across the US and Canada in a shiny Airstream trailer, and explored far-flung international destinations. Kaye Rosvold, Tom's niece, introduced Tom to Palm Springs, CA, where he and Margaret established a winter home.

Tom had several passions. As a younger man, he ran 10K races, skied, and biked. Later, he played golf, a lot of golf. He discovered wines and built an extensive collection of Washington and French burgundies. He liked to work with his hands, building a gazebo at one home and a pergola at another. And through all his adult years, he enjoyed music, playing guitars and singing folk songs, Irish ballads, and country songs. He made instruments, too, including a beautiful violin and a ukelele.

Tom valued family and friendships. He was close to his sisters, their families, and the Caspers extended family, regularly joining the annual Caspers reunion in Swaledale, IA, and visiting family in Minnesota. His friendships spanned decades and were deeply meaningful to him.

Tom is preceded in death by his mother (Dorothy Coe), father (LeRoy Caspers), stepfather (Jim Coe) and stepbrother (Larry Coe). He is survived by his wife, sisters Marilyn Winton, Jane (Mike) Speckel, Cheri Dodds and her fiancé, Paul Enderson, sister-in-law Carol Coe, stepbrother Terry (Karen) Coe, and much-loved nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Two celebrations of life are planned for Tom. The first will be held at Skagit Golf and Country Club, Mount Vernon, WA, on Saturday, November 14, 2026, 2-4 PM. The second will be held in Rockwell, Iowa, on May 29, 2027.