Thomas W. Tuthill

1977 - 2015

Thomas William Tuthill Jr., age 37, died tragically in an auto accident outside Trapper Creek, Alaska, on April 4, 2015. A Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2015, at Kotzebue Friends Church, 536 Friends Way in Kotzebue, Alaska. He will be buried at Cemetery Hill in Kotzebue. Thomas was born on May 15, 1977, in Grants, N.M., to Thomas Tuthill Sr. and Sandra Russell. He graduated from Kotzebue High School and served his country in the Alaska Army National Guard. Thomas was self-employed and owner of Marko's Plumbing & Heating in Anchorage, Alaska. He enjoyed boating, snow-machining and fishing, as well as traveling in the "Lower 48" and all over Alaska. But, what he really enjoyed was "taking things apart and putting it back together," no matter what it was. He was also a member of Kotzebue Friends Church. The family wrote, "We have seldom had in our lives someone with as much compassion for others as Thomas. Someone whose heart was so full of caring. Someone with such a gentle spirit that radiated so brilliantly. If you needed him for anything, anything at all, Thomas was there. Our loss is deep and will endure for a while. But, eventually the smiles and laughter upon hearing his name will replace our sadness. He is in our hearts now and forever." Thomas loved children so much. His favorite charity was "Toys for Tots." He is survived by his loving mother, Sandra Russell; brothers, Kevin and Mark Nanini; sister, Jacklynn Nanini; grandparents, Homer and Margaret Russell; and stepfathers, Jack Nanini and Gary Bakewell. He is also survived by his aunts, Judy Bodo, Nancy Tuthill, Mary Jane Tuthill-Grant, Eva Booth, Barbara Janitscheck, Maureen Reich and Davidann Russell; and uncles, Harry Tuthill, Robert Russell, Burton J. Russell, Clarence Russell and Lathrop T. Russell. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in memory of Thomas be made to Toys for Tots. Arrangements entrusted to Legacy Funeral Homes, Witzleben Chapel. Please visit www.legacyalaska.com to share words of comfort with the family.