Death and Memorial Notice
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June 14, 1933
June 23, 2009
The Reverend Thomas Wood Beattie passed away on June 23, 2009, having lived life to the fullest as a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and a Catholic Priest.
Born June 14, 1933, in Newport, Rhode Island, Tom was one of seven children born to Richard and Ruth Beattie.
His boyhood days were spent playing baseball and running the streets of Newport with his gang, playing priest using candy wafers purchased from his paper route earnings as hosts and limiting his congregation, his brothers and sisters, to just one host a day.
He was a true blue Red Sox fan and as a kid with just a $1.50 in his pocket, he took the train from Newport to Fenway Park to buy a scorecard, ice cream cone and a ticket in right field to watch his favorite player, Ted Williams.
He considered a vocation to the priesthood but instead attended the parochial high school. His high school years coincided with the Korean War and, at his mother's request, he left high school his junior year and enlisted in the Air Force to keep an eye out on his twin brother and was stationed in Sacramento, California.
It was there while waiting in line for confession that he "unintentionally" knelt on the skirt of his future wife, Joan.
He loved baseball and dreamt of playing professionally, so with her blessing he gave it one last try to pursue a baseball career and tried out for the Eddie Lopat's Baseball School in Florida.
Although unsuccessful, he was proud that he made the effort to follow a dream.
He married Joan Frances Roos on April 14, 1956, in Winlock, Washington, and moved to Seattle.
Tom worked for Boeing in the evenings and went to school during the day to become a journeyman electrician, which he earned in August 1960.
He eventually started his own company, Tom Beattie Electric, in 1972.
Tom, having not graduated from high school, also went back to school to receive his GED so he could impress upon his children the importance of a high school diploma.
Tom and Joan were married just over 30 years and together raised six children. They lived most of their life in Bothell and were parishioners of St. Brendan's Parish.
They were proud to have sent all six children through 12 years of parochial school at St. Brendan's and Bishop Blanchet High School.
Tom continued to nurture his love for baseball and other sports by coaching teams through CYO Sports, Northshore East Little League and with the Northshore East Football organizations for many years.
Joan died at home on November 9, 1986, from cancer.
She and Tom discussed what his life would be after her death and she blessed his decision to pursue a late vocation to the Catholic priesthood.
With the support of family, many friends of the Bothell community and mentors of the Catholic faith, Tom was accepted as a seminarian to the Archdiocese of Seattle in 1988, completed his undergraduate work at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee and his theological studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, Wisconsin.
He took full advantage of being a chip shot away from the University of Notre Dame and enjoyed weekends at the Holy Cross Brothers Center.
He was known to be the only season ticket holder who sat in a different seat at every home game.
He finished his seminary work in April and was ordained a Catholic Priest on June 12, 1993. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Brendan's Parish in Bothell on June 13, and turned 60 years of age on June 14.
He served at many parishes in the greater Seattle area and ultimately became pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Sequim in 1995, where he remained a pastor until his retirement in January 2008.
Father Tom loved his parish and the community of Sequim, and they were a perfect match.
After a 10-year battle with cancer, it was time for Father Tom to retire, and so he moved to the Palisades Retreat Center in Federal Way and lived with fellow retired priests who became wonderful, supporting friends.
In May of this year, he moved to his youngest daughter's home in Mill Creek to live out his remaining days.
Father Tom was blessed to enjoy two great loves in his life, his wife, Joan, and his God, and we are thankful that he is now with them both in heaven.
Father Tom is survived by his children, Colleen (Buzz), Joe (Terry), Steve (Patty), Monica (Steve), Ed (Mary) and Emilie (Clark); and his grandchildren Zach, Ryan, Kelly, Michael, Sean, Michelle, Tommy, Ashley, Sam, Hannah, Bridget, Tony, Joe, Jack, Caroline and Gemma; and a great-grandchild, Grayson.
He is also survived by four sisters, Mary, Winnie, Ann and Noni, all of Rhode Island.
Father Tom had many friends in his life who loved him and cared for him.
We wish to thank the staff and community of St. Joseph's Parish in Sequim, Dr. Charles Sullivan for being such a good friend and caring for him these past years, and his Archdiocesan family of Seattle. We would also like to thank Providence Hospice of Seattle for their care and support.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph Parish in Sequim or St. Brendan Parish in Bothell.
A vigil service will be held on Thursday, July 9, at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish, Sequim.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, July 11, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Brendan's Parish, Bothell, Washington.
Last modified: July 04. 2009 7:57PM