Thomas Robert Wade

Thomas Robert Wade II, age 54, passed away suddenly on Friday, May 8, 2015. He was born February 18, 1961 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Thomas Robert Wade and Ida Evonne Djerf. During his early childhood, he lived in Cedar Rapids, IA; Arlington, VA; Minneapolis, MN; Chicago and Oak Park, IL; and Iowa City, IA where he graduated from City High School in 1979 and the University of Iowa in 1985. Tom met Erika Anne Barfknecht at the Iowa Memorial Union Bookstore in 1985. They began dating May 12, 1985 and were engaged that fall. Tom and Erika were married January 11, 1987 at Danforth Chapel on the University of Iowa campus. He started to work for Wal-Mart in 1986 and completed his Assistant Store Manager training in Norman and Shawnee, OK. He was transferred to Sparta and Richland Center, WI, Galesburg, IL and Scottsburg, IN. In 1988, Tom entered the training program for the Follett Higher Education Group to become a College Bookstore Manager. His first store was Sangamon State University, Springfield, IL. In 1991, he moved to Tyler Junior College, Tyler, TX and in 1996 moved to Albuquerque Vocational Technical Institute in Albuquerque, NM. In 2005, he left retail, began to pursue a career in paralegal studies, and graduated with honors from Central New Mexico Community College in 2008.He worked for New Mexico Legal Aid in Socorro and Albuquerque. He left that field in 2010. Tom's last position was as a cage vault cashier for Sandia Casino, Albuquerque, NM. He loved his Cubs, took voice lessons and followed all Chicago sports. He loved his animals, watching military movies and re-runs of '24'. Survivors include his wife, Erika; mother, Ida; three brothers, Bill, Steve and Dave; six nephews; two nieces; and his cats, Missy, Pixie, Bella, Sheba, and Lexie; and Kaiser, the Corgi. His father and grandparents preceded him in death. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM, on Thursday May 14, 2015 at Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church, 25 Wesley Road, Peralta, NM. A reception immediately follows at the Church. Interment will be held in Iowa City, Iowa at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the following: American Diabetes Association, 2270 Wyoming Blvd NE, Suite D#284, Albuquerque, NM 87112; SNIP c/o HART, PO Box 267, Los Lunas, NM 87031(this is a low cost spay and neuter program for the county); or Peralta Memorial United Methodist Church (Music), 25 Wesley Rd, Peralta, NM 87042. Arrangements entrusted to Riverside Funeral Home of Los Lunas, 820 Main St. NE, (505) 565-1700.