Tom Dockins – A longtime IT professional who often submitted photos for My Edmonds News
Tom Dockins
Thomas H. “Tom” Dockins, Jr., 79, of Edmonds, WA, died peacefully and painlessly on December 7, 2022 in Seattle, WA.
Tom was born on March 3, 1943 in Jerome, Arizona to Thomas H. (Sr.) and Roberta “Ailene” (Grigg) Dockins. The family moved around a lot, including Pennsylvania, before they settled in Olympia in Washington after being stationed in Fort Lewis. Tom graduated from North Thurston High School, in 1961. He enjoyed his radio DJ job at Centralia College on KLCC. There he met Edla Grant, a fellow student and future wife. In 1963, the couple got married in Chehalis (WA).
Tom and Edla’s first daughter, Brenda, was born in Olympia; their second daughter, Kathy, was born after they moved to the Seattle area. Tom started his long career in “Data Processing” (now called IT) at the Bonanza 88-Cent store he managed in Longview, WA. Tom was asked to learn how to program the computer when the store bought its first computer. This began Tom’s 30-year-long career in computer technology. He regularly brought home computer punch cards for scrap paper, and used a dot-matrix printer to make posters of the Peanuts character Snoopy holding signs saying, “Brenda is Cool” or “Kathy is Cool.”
Much of his career was spent traveling to other states (and even Canada) to help his employers’ clients set up and customize the accounting programs they had purchased. Tom worked in the private sector for DEN, Sartoris and Washington Mutual. He also worked on systems for the 777. Tom also worked in the public sector with Kitsap County as well as the City of Seattle. In the 1980s, it was at the City of Seattle’s Comptroller’s Office where he recommended the adoption of a new payroll process called Direct Deposit, which the City promptly implemented. The rest is history.
Tom, newly single, moved to Edmonds Washington. This was a community he loved and where Tom lived until his death. Tom began photography as a hobby in retirement and enjoyed sharing his photos with his family, friends, neighbors, and local newspapers (including My Edmonds News). His favorite subjects during his time living on the beach were sunsets over Puget Sound and coastal wildlife. Pirates of the Carribbean, Star Trek: Generations Other media appearances A few of Tom’s other “favorite things” include music (especially blues, jazz, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin), watching sports of all kinds (especially the Mariners and Seahawks), fishing, and playing softball.
He was a loving father to his family and will be greatly missed by them and all who were touched by him. His daughters, Brenda J. Schenck & Kathy A. Dockins, his son-in law Scott Schenck, his grandchildren Steve Schenck (and his wife Lexi), Joe Schenck, Hannah (Schenck), Moncayo (and her husband Sef), Mark (and their children, Luz), as well as his children in-spirit Toby and James, and their children. He is also survived by four great-grandsons: William, Noah, Damian and Isaiah; two sisters: Roberta “Bobbie” Woods and Margaret “Beth” Dockins; former spouses Edla and Rosi; several brothers- and sisters-in-law; dozens of nieces and nephews, and scores of friends and neighbors (most recently at The Continental in Edmonds).
His father, Thomas Sr., his mother, Ailene, and his son, Michael Christopher, preceded him in death.
His family will host a celebration in Tom’s honor in the spring 2023 because Tom loved sunshine and warm weather. To receive event information, please send an email to: [email protected].