Thomas L. Grisham

Thomas L. Grisham was born on July 25, 1947 in Illinois and died on May 27th, 2018 in Albuquerque, NM.

Tom lived an amazing life filled with travel and adventure along with love and passion.

Tom began travelling at a young age due to his father being in the military. They moved from Illinois to Washington, D.C. to Colorado. His family finally planted their roots in Albuquerque, NM in the early 1950’s.

Tom always had a passion for the outdoors. He would often come home with little surprises including a snake wrapped around his waist as a belt. He loved fishing and hiking and he grew up participating in the Boy Scouts of America. He learned many things including survival skills, tying knots and how to carve the most amazing things out of a piece of wood. He received his Eagle Scout Award which he carried through the rest of his life with pride. Later he became a Scoutmaster and received his Wood Badge and also the highest honor The Silver Beaver. Tom led several young men to the same accomplishments as he once had done himself.

Tom attended Sandia High School through his teenage years. It was there where he found a true love and appreciation for debate. While on the Sandia High School debate team, Tom won several awards and knew he wanted to pursue a career in law. He was also a thespian and held several offices in extracurricular clubs. Later, in law school, Tom won first place in the National Client Counseling Competition in Chicago.

Tom attended the University of New Mexico where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1969. He then attended law school at the University of New Mexico and proudly graduated Order of the Coif in 1973.

Tom worked at the District Attorney’s office right after graduating law school and then decided to go on an adventure of partnerships with other fellow graduates from the University of New Mexico Law School. He had a very successful career helping others and fighting for justice.

In 1969, Tom married the love of his life, Deborah. They both shared a passion for travel. Tom and Debby explored the entire world together. They travelled the Nile to see the amazing Egyptian Pyramids, Mexico to see ruins left by the Aztecs, South America to experience Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines and they travelled the Amazon to experience all the eclectic cultures. They travelled to China to see the Qian Warriors and walk the Great Wall. They rode camels in Morocco, fed obnoxious orangutans in South China, rode elephants in Zimbabwe, rode mules down the edges of the Grand Canyon and parasailed over the blue waters of the Caribbean. They took a ship through the Panama Canal and explored all of Europe together. They got to see the amazing art at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia as well as the Del Prado in Madrid. They explored the Picasso museum in Barcelona, Spain and marveled at the masterpieces in the Louvre in Paris, France. They travelled to Alaska to whale watch, go dog sledding and land by helicopter on top of a glacier. They stayed in the Castles of Ireland and journeyed to the Turkish Baths. Tom and Debby were able to go to Jordan and experience Petra and swim in the Dead Sea and went scuba diving throughout the Virgin Islands and Tahiti. They fancied the Islands of Hawaii which they travelled to so often they lost count. They went on African Safaris where Tom could have moved there and lived out the rest of his days. He loved King’s Camp and would jump at the chance to go back.

Tom had a passion for photography and he always had his camera in hand for the perfect photo moment. He loved taking pictures of the wildlife and the wonders of Africa. He also enjoyed capturing the perfect moments with his family and friends.

Tom also loved taking road trips with Debby and their three kids. He enjoyed stopping at every stop on the side of the road while heading to the various National Park Wonders. He travelled to the vastness of the Grand Canyon to the amazing dwellings of Mesa Verde and Bandelier National Park. He took the family to see the geysers of Yellowstone and the amazing falls at Yosemite. He loved to sled down the White Sands of New Mexico and going spelunking at the Carlsbad Caverns. He survived the monsoon of the century in the Painted Deserts of Arizona, a 6.7 earthquake in Costa Rica and a typhoon that hit La Paz, Mexico in the 1980’s.

Tom enjoyed collecting interesting souvenirs from around the world. He also enjoyed reading. When he wasn’t working, you could often find him reading in his favorite chair or outside enjoying the bird’s songs. He wore out his favorite books from reading them so many times. Tom loved learning about his family’s genealogy of which he dedicated the last three decades to. He enjoyed sharing his findings with the entire family. He met extended family members from generations past and loved sharing stories.

Tom is survived by his two sisters Sandra and Debra, as well as a brother Michael along with many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his wife Deborah Grisham, his daughters, Elizabeth Roybal and Susannah Stark, his son, John Grisham, and five grand-children, Olivia, Cadence, Ethan, Drew and Grant.

Tom’s life was full of amazing moments and memories. He will be missed terribly by many people. We pray his adventures have only just begun.