Thomas Gerald Bumala
Lake Forest Park, Washington Oct. 6, 1935 — Jan. 27, 2017
Thomas Gerald Bumala was born on Oct. 6, 1935, to Bertha and Ernie Bumala, a Norwegian and a Finn.
He grew up in Astoria, Oregon, in “The Goonies” house. Tom considered himself to be “the original Goonie.”
After high school he attended Portland State University where he earned his master’s degree in engineering.
Tom worked for the Oregon Department of Highways and was on the location team for the Astoria Bridge, among many other projects all over the state.
He came to Seattle in 1960 and joined a geophysical exploration group, traveling the world. Tom married his “Sweet Swede” (Christina) on Dec. 20, 1960.
He spent more than a month in the jungle of Panama working on the Panama Canal and a proposed dam.
He went to Slope Indicator Co. in 1964.
Steffan Allen Bumala came into the world on Jan. 2, 1965.
In 1995, Tom retired from Slope Indicator Co., as president of the company to “live the good life.”
He is preceded in death by his mother, father and sister. Survived by wife Christina, son Steffan, and three nieces: Kathi, Karin and Julie Jackson.
