01/15/2006: "Tom Holzhauser 1942 - 2006"

San Juan Island resident Tom Holzhauser died peacefully at 6:30 pm Wednesday evening, surrounded by his family and friends.

Tom worked as a foreman at Armour Foods in the Portland area before moving to the island in 1990. He and his wife, Barbara, were resident managers at Island's West (now Best Western Suites) when they first arrived. Tom also recharged fire extinguishers and fixed car starters before taking a full-time position as technical director at San Juan Community Theatre in 1995.

In more than 10 years at the Theatre, he facilitated the production of more than 400 shows and touring events. Tom cheerfully dealt with the complex needs of multiple shows in rehearsal simultaneously, while staying on top of the day-to-day issues of maintaining a public facility that is open to the public nearly 300 days and nights a year. He is fondly remembered for his cheerful outlook and unflappable demeanor.

Tom is survived by his wife, with whom he shared the joy of living and an enormous pride in an extended family of children, grandchildren a great grandson and many lifelong friends.

A celebration of Tom's life will be scheduled in the spring.