Thomas Frederick Ruckelshaus

STEVENSVILLE, Mont. -- Thomas Frederick Ruckelshaus, 58, of Stevensville, Mont., died at his home on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, after a prolonged battle with lung cancer.

He was born on April 21, 1951, in Chicago, Ill., to the late Conrad R. and Elizabeth (Hasler) Ruckelshaus.

He attended Aiken Preparatory School and Canterbury, was captain of his golf team at Hotchkiss and a member of Sigma Phi at the University of Virginia. Later in life he received a B.S. and M.S. in forestry from Clemson University and went on to graduate work at Michigan Tech University.

Tommy felt that he had finally found his home in the Bitterroot Valley. He admired the people he met here almost as much as the scenery. His main interests were golf, guns and guitars, but he also liked birding, wrote poetry and could finish the New York Times Friday and Sunday crosswords in under an hour every time. Most memorably, Tommy was an affable man; he had a true gift for connecting with others.

He is survived by his wife, Polly; his sister, Bettina Ruckelshaus of Aiken; daughters, Christine Murphy of Arlington, Ind., and Cheryl Kochenderfer of Weaverville, Calif.; stepson, William Post of Aiken; nephews and nieces, Jonathan Smith, Richard and Julia Smith of Reidville and Mary Smith of Seneca.

Tommy requested cremation, and no funeral service.

Condolences may be sent to P.O. Box 610, Stevensville, MT 59870, and memorial gifts made to the Montana Cancer Center Research Fund, St. Patrick Hospital, 500 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802. The Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville is in charge of cremation arrangements.