Thomas Andrew Caesar, 58

Thomas Andrew Caesar, 58, passed away on Thursday, May 21, 2009, in Sandpoint, Idaho from lung cancer.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009, at the First Baptist Church in Sandpoint with Pastor Ken Smith officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Lakeview Cemetery with a reception at the church afterward.

Tom was born Aug. 19, 1950, in Seattle, Wash., to George and Mary Alice (Atkinson) Caesar. As a child, Tom lived in Fairbanks, Alaska, for five years before his family eventually settled in Boise, Idaho.

He attended St. Mary’s grade school, Bishop Kelly High, and Boise High School, where he graduated in 1968. Tom attended Boise State University, in the end choosing a vocational career as a machinist/welder.

Tom married his best friend Roselle J. Renk on Dec. 28, 1974, in Missoula, Mont. The couple made their home in Sandpoint, and worked as a team in everything they did for the next 34 years.

Together, they built two homes, first a log cabin in the woods, and later their home near Sandpoint. They spent many years developing their business property as well. 

Tom started Vulcan Machine Works with Bob LaFore in 1976, ultimately taking over the business and moving it to his own facility.

In 1983, soon after their son was born, they sold the business and he went to work in Montana as a machinist. In 1989 they moved back to Sandpoint and started Caesar’s Machine.

Tom was well known and respected in the community for his friendly smile and ability to repair broken equipment at a reasonable cost. He later went into manufacturing work creating prototypes and filling orders for a local health/therapy equipment business, Pneumex, Inc.

Tom loved fishing and the sea; he spent his early summers processing salmon roe for Cossack Caviar in Alaska. Of late, he was often seen out on the lake with his friend, George Hendrix, pulling in big trout and bass.

He loved the outdoors and had a passion for backpacking, huckleberry picking, and hunting.

Tom was a committed Christian and a member of First Baptist Church. He believed strongly in the right to life for the unborn and was often seen at the annual prayer vigil.

He is survived by his wife, Roselle of Sandpoint; his son, Chris (Heather) Caesar of Spokane, Wash.; his father, George Caesar of Boise; a brother, Joe Caesar of Boise; and three sisters, Sylvia (Mike) Boyle of Boise, Ginny (George) Potter of Moscow, Idaho, and Stella (Roger) Calza of Moscow.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary; and sister-in-law Julie Renk of Boise.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Life Choices Pregnancy Center, PO Box 2360, Sandpoint, ID 83864

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements.

Please visit Tom’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.