Thomas "Tom" Joseph McPherson, Jr.

Tom McPherson Jr. (1937 to 2026)

After 71 years by the side of the woman who loved him on first sight, Tom left her quietly on May 26, 2026.

Tom was born July 10, 1937, to Thomas and Vera McPherson. They lived in a tiny house across the street from a saloon in what is now the historic mining town of Bannick, Montana. In 1942, when he was five years old, his family moved to Bucoda, Washington. They bought a house by the Skookumchuck River for $58.

Together with his father and brothers, they built a machine shop where he acquired his skills as a mechanic, electrician, plumber, blacksmith, and carpenter. He could diagnose engine troubles just by listening. He loved motorcycles, stock car racing, flying airplanes, baseball, fishing, rodeos, music and playing his trombone in a jazz band.

At age 18, while standing with his brothers on the riverbank, a brown-eyed girl named Ruth Sweet pushed him into the water. The next day he asked her to go swimming, and they were married less than a year later on August 4, 1956.

After junior college, he worked for over 40 years in the logging industry with his father. Their specialty was building and operating portable sawmills. He later joined his brother Bob McPherson, and they worked together for several years building bridges and concrete structures. Using dynamite was his favorite part of the job and moles quickly learned to stay away from his yard!

In his later years, he spent his days tinkering in his machine shop and tirelessly tending the beautiful gardens he created for his wife.

Tom is survived by his wife of 69 years, Ruth McPherson; his daughter, Kay Burton; his grandchildren, Joe Zimmerman, Jack Burton and Eli Burton; his great grandson, Tommy Zimmerman; his brothers, Frank Mcpherson, Pat McPherson and R.T. McPherson; and his sisters, Sandra Orr and Kathleen Brown. He was preceded in death by his son Thomas McPherson III in 2019; and by his brothers, Rodney Douglas McPherson in 1966 and Bob McPherson in 2022.

Please gather with his family and friends at the home he loved since age 5, July 25, 2026, 1 PM -5 pm in Bucoda WA.