Thomas Carroll McDougall passed away April 14, 2021. Tom was born the
only child of Charles McDougall and Ida Weatherford on May 6, 1929. He
grew up and loved Detroit, Michigan, graduating from Southeastern High
School where he was Senior Class President and quarterback on the
football team. An academic/sports scholarship sent him to Hillsdale
College when a congenital kidney problem cut short his career. He returned to Detroit to marry his high school sweetheart, Barbara Gillespie,
now deceased. They remained married until 1972. Tom and Barbara had
two children, Laurie (Bob) Graf, and Tim who have lived in Vail CO for over
40 years. Tim and his former wife Mary had Tom's only
Granddaughter Madeline Barbara (Maddie).
Tom's father wanted him to be a lawyer and Tom attended the Detroit
School of Law. This did not suit him and at a young age he pursued a
career in the Life Insurance Business. He first worked for Canada Life
Assurance Company starting out in sales in Detroit before being transferred
to the home office in Toronto, Ontario where he was the first
American trainee to travel around the United States instructing
others. Now he was happy, teaching and mentoring others was his niche.
He worked as a Branch Manager for Canada Life in Grand Rapids, MI and
again returned to the home office in Toronto as his career moved
forward. Promises were made by the officials at Canada Life but Tom
was impatient. He moved with his family to Oshkosh, Wisconsin where he
was the Executive Vice President of Wisconsin National Life for nine years.
The West was calling and Tom was recruited to work for Cal West and then
American General in Sacramento, CA. It was then that he met his mentor,
Harold Hook. He had fallen in love with California, met and married his
second wife of 19 years,Sally Ash. Principal Financial Group offered Tom
the job of Vice President of Western Territories. They also allowed him to
remain in Alpine Meadows, CA where he enjoyed skiing and hiking until his
retirement in 1990.
In 1994, Tom and Sharon Goode Imburg married. They had know one
another while working together at Canada Life. During their almost 27
years of marriage, they discovered and enjoyed many new locations.
This included Sequim, Wa, Punta Gorda, FL, Hurricane, Ut and Rio Vista,
CA. Tom continued volunteer work with Community Policing while in
Sequim, WA, and was a long time member of the Rotary Club.
Tom never met a stranger. Lit up a room when he walked in with his
infectious smile and conversation. He Loved his dogs, Buffy and Sammy.
Always had a boat, mastered fly-fishing and loved to shoot, even made
his own bullets. He was a jogger, backpacker and enjoyed travelling in his
many recreational vehicles. Tom was a voracious reader and had an
extensive library. At the age of 80 he wrote and self-published a novel,
The Garden of Stone Statues, the ultimate mandate.
Tom is survived by his loving wife Sharon, his aforementioned children
Laurie and Tim and Granddaughter Maddie as well as Sharon's
children Stephen (Cathy) Imburg, Julia (Richard) Kassissieh and Peter
(Kelly Connors) Imburg and step grandchildren Cal, Veronica, Vincent,
David, Charlie, Monte and Maile.
No service is planned at this time. Donations in his memory to your
local dog shelter are invited.