Thomas Michael Patrick Murphy McDonough

The Priest Lake Community mourns the loss of one of its members. Thomas Michael Patrick Murphy McDonough passed away at his home on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010 after a fall.

He and his wife Marita began coming to the Lake in the 1970s with their daughters Shannon and Maureen, and have resided at Priest Lake since McDonough’s retirement in 1995. He was known for his culinary skills and authored The International Recipes of The Irish Chef cookbook. He was a frequent contributor of elegant dinners to area auctions.

Tom McDonough served in the Navy aboard the minesweeper USS Luzon during the Korean War. After several years in the business world, he became a chef at Canlis in Seattle, and later in Portland where he met his wife, Marita Collver. Shortly thereafter he entered the private club industry as a club manager.

His career took him from the Roseburg Country Club to the Astoria Golf and Country Club in Oregon, followed by years at the Spokane Country Club, then the Manito Country Club in Spokane. He left Spokane to manage the Yellowstone Country Club in Billings, Mont., and soon was offered a position at Bermuda Dunes Country Club in the California Desert. The prestigious Maple Bluff Country Club offered him an advancement in his career in Madison, Wis. After several years there, he missed the West Coast and they moved to be closer to their daughters in California, where he managed the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club in Oxnard. Just prior to his retirement at Priest Lake, Tom headed the building project of The Greens at Redmond in Oregon.

Tom was a member of The Kaniksu Priest Lake Lions Club, board member on the PL Chamber of Commerce, where he became the liaison with the Bonner County Transportation Team; he served on the boards of the Priest Lake Translator District and the Kalispell Bay Sewer District. Affiliations included the Club Managers Association of America, VFW, NRA, past member of B.P.O. Elks, Knights of Columbus, and the International Wine and Food Society of Spokane. Tom was an active member in his community and has been involved with St. Blanche’s Catholic Church, the Priest Lake Museum, his homeowner’s association and various fundraisers.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Patrick Joseph McDonough and Margaret Jane Murphy McDonough Calpin; his sister, Margaret Jane Koch; and baby sister Patricia Cecelia. He is survived by his brother, Joseph Leo Calpin; and sisters, Helen Ann Marino and Rosemarie Calpin; his wife, Marita; his daughters, Shannon Kathleen Carpenter and spouse Jim Carpenter, Maureen Patricia McDonough and spouse William McDonough, and Patricia Ann Langlois and spouse Stephanie Houfek; and four grandchildren, Patrick, Fiona and Shelton Carpenter, and Maya Houfek Langlois as well as expected grandbaby McDonough in June.

Donations can be made in his memory to the Priest Lake EMTs, 27929 Hwy 57, Priest Lake, ID 83864

Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 at 11 a.m. St. Blanche Catholic Church in Priest Lake, Idaho.

Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Priest River is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at sherman-knapp.com.