Thomas Clinkenbeard

CLINKENBEARD, Thomas


Tommy was born on Oct. 25, 1954, to "Micky" and Tommy Clinkenbeard in Kansas City, Mo. He was raised in Yuba City with his brothers and sisters, Jeff, Dan, Scott, Lisa, and Kathy. They lost their father on Dec. 4, 2004, two days short of a year before Tommy's own cancer diagnosis.

Tommy and his brothers and sisters grew up working in the fields. They drove tractors long before they thought of getting their driver's licenses. Tommy has told many stories about pranks and near catastrophes that they endured in the fields, many of which his parents probably never knew about.

For all of us who knew and loved Tommy, we are not surprised to know that he grew long hair as a kid and was passionate about defending the rights of minorities and the poor at an early age. Tommy became a father and married as a teenager. His children are Christyna ("Punkie"), Shannon, Tom, and Allison.

Tommy entered the service and served as a JAG officer in Giesen, Germany, before joining the Sacramento Public Defenders office. One of his last comments a few days ago was, "I loved being a public defender." A natural fighter, Tommy would stop at nothing to protect his clients. He loved people, especially those who needed him the most; his clients, and homeless folks. He founded the Loaves and Fishes Legal Clinic for homeless individuals some years ago, and this clinic will continue to thrive and benefit these people, for whom Tommy is a true hero. It will reportedly be renamed the Tommy Clinkenbeard Legal Clinic in his honor, and his children are very pleased about this possibility. Last year Tommy single-handedly solicited and obtained funding to keep the clinic in operation at a time when there were serious budget problems.

Tommy was a board member and active participant in the Death Penalty Focus, a state-wide organization dedicated to the abolition of capital punishment, which Tommy emphasized is barbaric and is imposed in a racially and socioeconomically discriminatory manner. Tommy was also an outspoken advocate of county jail reform in the wake of numerous inmate suicides.

Tommy passed on with his children by his side. He called them his "babies." He was a loving and dedicated "grandpa" to Shannon's children: Josh, Bayley, Zack, and Jonathan; Punkie's (and husband Mike's) kids, Nick, Taylor, and Michaela; and Alison's (and Vidal's) kids, Conner and Ella. Tommy will be terribly missed and honored in life by his family, as well as his best friends, Karol Repkow and Tom Wirtz, and many, many others. Tommy was loved, feared, and respected by his adversaries in the courtroom.

"I have lived my life and fought my battles not against the weak and the poor, but against power, injustice and oppression; I have asked no odds from them and never shall. I am an attorney for the defense."
- Clarence Darrow

So long Tommy, until we meet again.

Graveside service will be on Saturday, July 29, at East Lawn Memorial Park at 43rd and Folsom Blvd. at 9:00 AM. At Tommy's request, dress casually, and in lieu of flowers or cards, please send donations to the Loaves & Fishes Legal Clinic at P.O. Box 2161, Sacramento, CA 95812.