Thomas J. Sheahan

May 3, 1943 died January 1, 2026

Thomas J. Sheahan was born on May 3, 1943, in Anacortes to Winifred Bruhns and John Thomas Sheahan.  Tom was raised in Anacortes, moving to the Breckenridge farm on Thomas Road in Edison at the age of 12.  He attended Edison Elementary and graduated in the Burlington-Edison High School class of 1962, later graduating Skagit Valley College.  In 1963 he married Joan King.  They raised their daughters Jennifer and Amy in Burlington.  Tom married Judy in 1993 gaining daughters: Liv, Kristin, Andrea, and Sarah.

In 1966, Tom was drafted into the US Army and served as a sergeant in "A" Company 1st 8th Calvary in country Vietnam from 1966 to 1967.  He returned to Fort Dix, New Jersey and after his discharge in 1968, he began working with Leonard and Boudinot as a surveyor.  Tom transitioned to working for Skagit County in 1968.  Over the course of 38 years, he held various positions, most notably serving as Director of Emergency Management.  As Director, his most impactful influence within the county was the re-addressing of all homes, which included everyone getting a reflective address sign improving emergency responses.  He was involved in many natural disasters, but primarily his efforts during the 1990 flood followed by the ice storms of January 1991.  Just weeks ago, he used his years of experience to calm many Edison neighbors during our recent storms.  He stayed in touch with many county friends by organizing a monthly lunch with the retirees, as he valued these relationships. During the early years at the county, he supported his family by taking on a second job at Allied Chemical as the night janitor.

He joined the Burlington Fire Dept in 1968 as a volunteer Fire Fighter and after several years of service also became an EMT.  These volunteers were such a vital part of our community.  In the fall, Tom and other volunteers could be seen hanging on the back of the engine as they went door to door selling tickets for the annual Pancake Feed.  Then, on the first Saturday of October, he would be flipping pancakes and serving coffee.  Tom also enjoyed volunteering with Burlington Police Department, which included working at high school events standing sentry at the gym doors.

He became a central figure in planning the Skagit County Veterans Parade held in Burlington.  Veteran recognition was one of his most important missions.  He spent years working to help other veterans receive the honors they had not received prior to their discharge.  Although injured in a battle in Vietnam, Tom never received the Purple Heart.  In true Tom fashion, he never pursued this distinction for himself.

In his retirement years, he was busier than ever.  For several years he served as President of the Samish Farms Water Board. He could always be found in many places in the county helping someone on a project.  He enjoyed his many hours on his tractors and excavator, but also with shovels and rakes in hand. He could be found helping others with their cars, collecting more than a few of his own along the way.  He was never one to slow down but made time daily for his coffee groups - yes, he had more than one some days:  Edison Café guys, the retired first responders, and the local farmers.  He always had a story to tell.

The only time he would slow down was for his grandchildren.  He could be found on the sidelines of sporting events or in the stands at plays, concerts and County Fair.  He would regularly make time for phone calls and a meal as some got older. Of course, you could also find Tom with his grandchildren in the Edison Chicken Parade. You may or may not know the chicken driving the 1928 Packard was Tom.  This was an event he looked forward to every year.

Tom is survived by his wife, Judy; Sister, LaVonne Jones; daughters Jennifer Sheahan:  Elsie Lee and Hannah (Taylor) Swanson; and Amy (Ralph) Esary: Alex Esary and Reece (Leah) Esary and great-grandkids Levi, Rae, Lacey and Landon; Liv Nayeli:  Sophia, Isabelle, and Presence; Kristin (Adam) Caldwell:  Addi and Blake; Andrea (Trent) Clancy: Taven and Rylen; and Sarah (Steven) Dahl: Cameron and Grady. Brothers and sister-In-laws Les (Dorothy) King, Steve Anderson, Kathy Anderson, Carmen (Carl) Bruner, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Austin Esary; his parents; stepfather Bob Breckenridge; sisters Betty June, Sheila Marie, LaRane, LaVette, Gloria, Roberta, Margaret, Alice and brothers James, John, Alfred, and Robert.  His in-laws Pete and Helen King, Richard Anderson, and Edith Anderson.

A memorial will be held at Salem Lutheran Church, 2529 N Laventure Rd, Mount Vernon, WA, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 1:00 PM.  A livestream will be available.  Please see Edison Lutheran Church at elcbow.org for a link.

Serving the community was at the core of who Tom was. He was happiest when helping others. The world will forever be a better place because he was in it.