Tamara Rebecca Thurlow, 48 years old, was born Oct. 6,1965, in Minneapolis, Minn. She was the daughter of Bernard and Diane Thurlow of Twisp. Her father was stationed at Fort Snelling at the time of her birth.
Tami’s family lived in Hermiston, Ore., for five years before moving to the Methow Valley in 1972 when Tami was 7.
She lived on the Thurlow family ranch on Beaver Creek, attended elementary school in Twisp, and graduated with honors from Liberty Bell High School in 1983.
She attended Washington State University, earning her R.N. degree. She worked for many years as a registered nurse, and was a very caring nurse.
As a small child of 8 years old, she begged to ride after cattle with her dad and grandpa Frank. She loved to ride with them on their Libby Creek grazing allotment, and always worked hard trying to do a good job. It was not easy work.
Tami trained her own horses, loved them and was an intuitive and gifted horsewoman. She was good with the cattle, knew and understood them. Tami was talented; she enjoyed art, music and sewing beautiful pillows and figures of people, animals and angels. She also enjoyed gardening and driving a horse and buggy. She belonged to St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church in Twisp.
Preceding Tami in death were her grandparents, Frank and Lucile Thurlow, Twisp, and Ernie and Becky Gilbert, Carson City, Nev.; great-aunt Gladys Coleman; and great- uncle James Brown.
She is survived by her parents, Bernard and Diane Thurlow, and brothers Sean Thurlow of Twisp and Ernie Thurlow (Linh); nephew Benjamin Thurlow and niece Mai Thurlow of California; sister Suzanne (Joe) Ricci; nephew Domenic Ricci and niece Christi Ricci of Dayton, Nev.; and cousins on both sides of her family.
Tami had many wonderful, caring, supportive friends. She had a special friend, Pauline Andras of Baton Rouge, La. Tami and Pauline had been pen pals since fifth grade. They never met in person. Pauline sent lovely caring cards, gifts and letters through all these years and was a comfort to Tami.
Tami’s friends have been a support and blessing through the years, and we love them and want them all to know how very much they meant to Tami and to Tami’s family.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 16) at St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church in Twisp, followed by graveside services at Beaver Creek Cemetery. Precht-Harrison-Nearents Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.
