Thomas Bousman

The Rev. Dr. R. Thomas Bousman, 85, died October 7 following a brief illness.

Tom was born in Manila, Philippines, where he and his younger brother and sister were raised by his missionary parents. With the outbreak of WWII, Tom (age 13), and his family were interned by the Japanese Army in 1942. They were incarcerated in the Los Banos Camp, where they were miraculously rescued along with more than 2,000 American and other allied nationals by paratroopers and amphibious tractors of the U.S. Forces on February 23, 1945. Dr. Bousman was a graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, and McCormick Seminary in Chicago, where his wife also did graduate work. He earned the degree of Doctor of Ministry at the San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Ordained by the Presbytery of Santa Barbara in 1953, the Rev. Dr. Bousman served the Santa Paula congregation for 41 years: 6 as Assistant Minister, then 35 years as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff. He was Pastor Emeritus of Santa Paula Presbyterian Church in Ventura County, and was Honorably Retired in 1994. He served as Interim Associate Pastor of Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church from 1997 to 2004 and later served as the Minister of Visitation at San Marino Community Church from 2004 to 2009. He resided at Monte Vista Grove Homes in Pasadena.

He and his late wife, Eleanor, observed 51 years of marriage before her untimely death in August 2002. They had four children all born and raised in Santa Paula. Music was an important part of Tom's life, but his first loves were the world of opera, the piano and the pipe organ.

Tom is survived by daughter Peggy of Riverside; daughter Kathryn and husband Arne Abrahamsen of Bergen, Norway; son Rob and wife, Trina Deegan of Oceanside; brother James and wife June of Honolulu, Hawaii, sister Martha Voelkel of Claremont; plus several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and one great-great nephew. The six grandchildren are Erin and Thomas in Norway, plus Matt, Shane, April and James in California, as well as a great grandson, Jacob, in Norway. Tom was preceded in death by son Rick and wife Eleanor.

The memorial service will be held at the Santa Paula First Presbyterian Church, on Saturday, November 15 at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Monte Vista Grove Homes Quality of Life Endowment, 2889 San Pasqual St., Pasadena, CA 91107, Attention: Meagan McClellan. Phone 626-796-6135