Obituary - Thomas Mark Kellen
June 12, 1943 - February 19, 2024
by Covill Funeral Home
February 19, 2025
Our father, Thomas Kellen, died a year ago today from cancer. I struggle to find the right words to sum up his incredible life and if I'm being honest have probably avoided it until now because it just makes his heartbreaking passing more real, more final. He did so much in his 80 years of life: served in the Navy, traveled the world, climbed Mount Rainier, and had many business ventures, including the Sinclair gas station in his beloved Pinedale. He was a dentist by trade and even worked in that capacity for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He was an artist who did ceramics, woodworking, welding and even built custom guitars, surfboards & kilns. He was a musician who loved to create music with various instruments and especially enjoyed playing guitar in several bands over the years. Our father was always active, whether it was fly fishing, golfing, skiing, surfing or riding his bicycle past the local cemetery in Pinedale, where he is now laid to rest.
One of his best friends and former neighbor created a poem that she read at our father's memorial and I can't think of a better way to share our father's story:
"TO TOM" - poem by Jane Smith
"Love thy neighbor" is always the right thing to do.
When your neighbor was Tom, it was impossible not to.
In 1977 he moved in right next door.
He was building his house himself, and much more.
He commuted daily to Burbank for his dentist life
And lived briefly in a trailer with his baby and wife.
Who did that? But Tom.
He built an aquarium and a pond and even the doors
And speakers with vibrators with seats in the floors.
When the house was finished the family was now x4
The projects continued with guest house and more.
Who did that? But Tom.
He was a kaleidoscope of a man, as diverse as can be.
He’d already served in the Navy and lived in Cuba by the sea.
He skied, dived, golfed and surfed - all very well
So he built his own boards and moved to Malibu to dwell.
Who did that? But Tom.
He went to a great art school (Otis) out of the blue
And became a ceramic artist, entirely something new.
He was creative and talented and amazing pieces he made
So he built his own kiln, an oven, for his newfound trade.
Who did that? But Tom.
With our group we had tennis, lunches and parties galore
And traveled to Palm Springs, Jamaica, Tahoe and more.
Always the event photographer and video taker,
He was such a great chronicler and memory maker.
Who did that? But Tom.
Always fun and willing to go the extra mile,
He was an unbelievable friend with a ready smile.
He knew something about everything and really cared
And everything about something and we loved that he shared.
Who did that? But Tom.
He was the godfather to our Scott, our son
He attended birthdays and games and missed almost none.
His godfather’s graduation gift was beyond compare
x1,000 new $1 dollar bills in a briefcase, so rare.
Who did that? But Tom.
He discovered Wyoming and invested with his brother
Built a movie theater, restaurant, gas station and other
He fell in love with Pinedale Wyoming of all places
And traded the Malibu beaches for the wide open spaces.
Who did that? But Tom.
With his time there he went to restaurant school and played in a band
And of course he built his own beautiful guitar - by hand.
He visited with all, many hours he would spend
And he even chose Pinedale to rest at the end.
Who did that? But Tom.
Kim and Casey were his beloved daughter and son
He embraced Ray and Ben and his family were one.
Granddaughter Leia was his life’s greatest treasure
His love for his family was truly without measure.
When he re-met Roberta years ago, their love was easy to see,
Their match has been as perfect as any match could ever be.
They traveled the world, to many exotic places they’d go
Her care and devotion at the end, their great love would show.
Tom’s life was well lived and a most generous one.
He is no doubt in heaven, talking to everyone.
God blessed us to have him with us here,
We will miss him and love him ’til our end is near.
"Love thy neighbor" was easy to do when your neighbor was Tom.
There was no one like Tom.
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