April 4, 1946 – December 6, 2025
It is with a heavy heart to share that Thomas Jay Gibbs passed away unexpectedly in his home on December 6, 2025 at the age of 79. He is survived by his two sons, John and James; as well as his cousin’s family Lynne, Michael and Lauren Strom-Berg; and four nieces and nephews – Shannon, Keith, Marc and Matthew.
Tom was born April 4, 1946 in Minneapolis to Robert and Lillian Gibbs. His family relocated to Los Altos in the 1950s, and he remained a Los Altos resident his entire life.
Tom met Ruth Olsen at Coving-ton pool before starting high school at Awalt. They got married February 2, 1966 and had their first son later that year while he was attending college. Tom and Ruth remained married for 44 years, until Ruth’s passing in December 2010.
After graduating from Awalt in 1964, he attended Foothill College and then California State University, Hayward where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education. Tom was a standout basketball player with both schools, which earned him an opportunity to tryout with the Oakland Oaks of the ABA in 1967.
Affectionately known as GIBBER, Tom had a positive impact on the lives of many people throughout his life. Those who knew him will remember him for his kindness, sense of humor, generosity and ability to maintain a positive outlook despite what life’s challenges he was facing at the time. He was an outstanding person who set a strong example for others to follow. He was also reliable, patient and a great listener, which was appreciated by many.
Professionally, Tom began a career in sales working with his father at Westinghouse and spent the last 30+ years working with friends at Krobach Manufacturing.
While raising his family, Tom took a very active role in his children’s activities. He coached teams with YBA Basketball, AYSO Soccer, Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball. During the Little League years, Tom became the Founder and President of Los Altos Youth Baseball – which was created in an effort to overcome Little League participation boundaries, and allow kids from different school districts to play together. This earned him a Community Service Award from the City of Los Altos in 1983.
In addition, he was also served as a chaperone for the Los Altos High School Main Street Singers as they took their talents on tour to Scandinavia.
These years were very special to him, as they were full of fond memories and countless friendships with the families and kids that were fortunate to be part of the teams he coached or interacted with while growing up.
As an athlete, Tom enjoyed playing basketball into his 50’s with friends on teams in the Menlo Park and Mountain View City Recreation Leagues, as well as a weekly open gym every Thursday night at Egan Junior High School. He was a great teammate and an outstanding shooter – even as he aged.
Those who knew him also know that he was an avid sports enthusiast. In particular, he loved his 49ers, Giants, and Warriors. He was a long-time season ticket holder for the San Francisco 49ers and was always up for going to a Giants game.
Tom also enjoyed playing golf, which he continued to play with neighbors and friends until he passed. While he was not the golfer he used to be, he loved spending time on the golf course and just having fun living in the moment with his group.
Pajaro Dunes was his happy place. Tom and Ruthie bought their condo at Pajaro Dunes about 40 years ago. He looked forward to spending nearly every weekend there, as well as the holidays of the 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. He would often enjoy sitting on the beach for hours, just watching the world go by and listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach. He cherished viewing the sun set; watching pelicans glide over the waves and appreciated every dolphin or otter sighting. There are so many fond memories of times shared at Pajaro Dunes with family, friends and all of the wonderful dogs he had over the years.
Tom will be missed by a great number of people beyond just his family. We appreciate all of the thoughts, memories, stories and kind words that have been shared. Thank you.
There will be no immediate funeral service, but the family is going to plan a Celebration of Life to honor him in the Spring.
For those interested in making donations in his name to one of his favorite charities, contributions can be made to either the ASPCA or the Humane Society Silicon Valley to honor his lifelong love for animals.
