Thomas Gordon Hyde

Thomas Gordon Hyde passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Sunday, July 22, 2018.

TOM was born in Buffalo, New York to Gordon Thomas Hyde and Marion Ada Hyde (Linford) on November 20, 1942 and moved to Long Beach, California in 1953. He attended Banning High School, graduating in 1961.  Following graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force serving in the Military Police at Marysville S.A.C. in northern California and then in Laon, France until being honorably discharged in 1966.  Tom considered his time in France to be a very special and educational experience in his young life.  Upon his return to civilian life, Tom attended Long Beach City College and then transferred to San Jose State University in San Jose, California where he graduated in 1971 with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Operations and Business Administration.  He then took a position with Global Associates in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands in the South Pacific where he worked in the private sector alongside the U.S. Military for 7 years before moving on to a position in Saudi Arabia with Whittaker Corporation, a hospital management company out of California where he served as Materials Manager procuring hospital supplies for the 3 hospitals in Jeddah, Tabuk and Khamis Mushayt that Whittaker had in country for the Saudi Royal Air Force and Military. While in Jeddah, Tom met Karen Bardo, a nurse practitioner managing the employee health center at the Jeddah hospital and the two were married in Manama Bahrain on December 1, 1979. They resided in Riyadh for a period and then both transferred to the hospital site in Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia where their son Kevin was born in 1981 and where they lived for 5 years enjoying travels around Saudi Arabia in their camper and many weekend camping and snorkeling trips to the Red Sea where they collected specimens for their aquariums.   Tom and Karen continued to live and work overseas for 12 years in Saudi Arabia along with a 2 year interval in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.  Throughout this time Tom and his family travelled the world extensively including building a house on the Mediterranean coast in Moraira, (Alicante) Spain which became a favorite spot for them and where they shared special times with friends and family for 27 years.  Tom and his family returned to the United States in 1990 but with Tom returning to Saudi Arabia during the Kuwait War and then eventually settling in Corrales, New Mexico in 1992. Here Tom and Karen found a house and yard to renovate and have turned it into a beautifully tranquil oasis which they thoroughly enjoy sharing with their son, 2 young grandsons and with many friends.  Tom and Karen have never lost their zest for travel and managed many enjoyable trips and cruises after settling in New Mexico. Tom enjoyed sports but was a particular fan of European Futbol which he religiously recorded and watched all the games, particularly cheering on his beloved Barcelona F.C.  Along with this, he enjoyed his weekly golf outings, caring for his array of animals, working in his garden where he grew a large crop of tomatoes and vegetables each year but was most proud of his melon patch and his large crop of luscious melons that are sorely missed this year.  He also very creatively invented and developed a most unique but functional sprinkler and drip system to the entire yard and garden which he has bequeathed to his wife and son to puzzle over and try to understand.

Tom was also an active and involved member of All Saints Lutheran Church where he served in many capacities and was always willing to step in and help with whatever situation came up.  Following a diagnosis of kidney cancer in early January and removal of his kidney, Tom suffered a number of complications with repeated hospital, rehab and nursing home admissions.  He returned to his home in March where his wife and family cared for him along with a wonderful team of caregivers from Presbyterian Home Health and Hospice.  Tom waged a valiant and difficult seven and a half month battle trying to recover but went to his final rest peacefully, at home and with his family. Tom is survived by his loving family, wife Karen, son Kevin, grandsons Aidan Skylar Hyde and Riley Jameson Hyde, his sister Diane Keenan (Ricardo Valdez)numerous cousins in Buffalo, N.Y.  and his ever growing and colorful pig farm. He also leaves behind a large extended family which he acquired when he married into the Bardo family who he loved and enjoyed and who loved and welcomed him into their lives.  Tom will be dearly missed by all of these as well as by so many friends around the world who he made an impression on over the years. His memory and smile will be held in our hearts forever.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at All Saints Lutheran Church, 4800 All Saints Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, August 18th at 11:00am.  The service will be followed by a reception at the church to which all are invited and the family will hold an open house at their home later in the day.  In lieu of flowers, Tom has specifically requested that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517 or online.

Final arrangements are through the Daniels Funeral Home Albuquerque North on Sara Road in Rio Rancho.