Thomas Alan Lomax

Tom loved life, his family, and his friends. He lived every day as a new adventure, especially in the outdoors--mountain biking, skiing, windsurfing, or kayaking. Most days launched with his favorite routine of a morning family bike ride with his wife Beth and beloved dog Brady. From there, he looked forward to whatever the day held. If someone needed help, Tom always jumped in. His friends and relatives talk about how he would fix a cousin’s bike, run from the dinner table to help a friend with truck trouble, pick up friends from the airport at midnight, and coach kids on mountain biking when more coaches were needed. Co-workers remember him helping shovel snow to open lifts or staying out all night on search and rescue missions for lost skiers. He always sought to aid people with kindness and skill, just doing what needed to be done. Whatever Tom did, he did with his whole heart and his trademark big grin. For him, life was an egoless journey to be savored every step of the way and to laugh through as much of it as possible. Tom was born June 7, 1959 in Seattle to Ted and Gloria Lomax, who taught him how to camp, hike, and ski in his early years. That exposure during family adventures spawned his love for the outdoors. He swam on the neighborhood swim team and by high school dabbled in backpacking and mountain climbing while skiing became his passion. After high school, he ski-bummed for a winter in Europe. In 1980, he married his high school sweetheart Beth VanDecar. The pair moved to Wenatchee, WA, so he could attend Wenatchee Valley Community College, where he graduated from the ski area management program. Starting in 1981, he began his ski area career, working for 12 years in mountain operations at Mission Ridge Ski Area in Wenatchee. Known to approach his work at full throttle, he’d say, “I’d rather be nibbled by ducks than have a lift go down.” During those years at Mission Ridge, he co-founded the first snowboard competition and lived with his radio on at all times to be able to respond to emergencies at any hour. In 1993, Tom and Beth moved to Bend where he worked for nearly 30 years in mountain operations at Mt. Bachelor. His tenure included the installation of several new lifts and ski runs, but one of his legacies is the Mt. Bachelor Bike Park. While skiing was the backbone of his professional career, his love for mountain biking propelled him into volunteering in the bike community. When he turned 50, he wanted to ride five 100-mile days in a row, which led to him to founding the Central Oregon 500. He also served on the steering committee for the Deschutes Trails Coalition (DTC). But most of the time, you’d find him out building trails for the Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA): shoveling dirt, flagging routes, chain-sawing downed trees, and leading work crews. In 2025, he logged 960 hours, the most of any volunteer. Tom’s pursuit of year-round outdoor recreation, both professional and volunteer, has inspired many to do likewise. Following his footsteps, several of his nieces and nephews carved their own similar paths--working at ski resorts, guiding raft trips, and serving on mountain bike trail crews. After Tom retired from the ski area, he and Beth spent months on the road each year traveling and camping across the Western U.S., most often to mountain biking trails. When home in between trips, he treated his volunteer work for mountain bike organizations like a full-time job. As one friend put it, “He’d outwork people less than half his age and not even think about it.” On April 24, 2026, after a morning family bike ride on the Oregon Coast with Beth and Brady, Tom continued on as usual for a solo ride. Experiencing a heart-related event, he left his treasured outdoors on a lush green fern-lined mountain bike trail. He is survived by his wife of 46 years Beth Lomax of Bend. He also left behind four siblings and their partners: Becky Lomax and Michael Makieve of Columbia Falls, MT; Fred Lomax and Linda McCallum of Rainier, WA; Marcy and Ed Yoshida of Normandy Park, WA; and Christine and James Huestis of Federal Way, WA. He is also survived by chosen sister Patricia Steinwand Bischoff of Germany, sister-in-law Nancy Thomas of Stanley, ID, and his nieces KT Duncan, Erin Yoshida, and Sarah Duncan and nephews Aric Duncan, Kevin Duncan, and Davis Yoshida. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of Tom to Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA, https://cotamtb.com) or the Humane Society of Central Oregon (HSCO, https://www.hsco.org).

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Thomas Alan Lomax

June 7, 1959 - April 24, 2026