FEBRUARY 1,2007
Smoke Signals 7
centrated on his newly built family
and how he would provide for them.
And although his career path had
changed direction, Tom's legend in
the wide world of sports lives on.
FAMILY &
OCCUPATION
When Tom was about 1 8, he mar
ried Marianne Kent who was also
attending Willamina High School
at the time. Kent's parents owned
and operated a popular gas station
in Willamina.
In 1948, Chips and Marianne
gave birth to their first child, Vic
toria. Tom then began working
in the timber industry so he could
support his family.
"We had a child so I had to go to
work," said Tom. "I began logging
here in Grand Ronde. Logging
probably wasn't the best choice but
what else can you do but that or
dig ditches if you don't go to school
and complete your education," he
said.
Tom then offered a bit of advice to
those who are currently in school.
"That's one thing I would like to
emphasize to anyone and especially
our kids here," he said, "continue
your education. I would really like
to see a tutor in each of the class
rooms for our children. Motivation
is what they need."
Over the course of the next five
years, Chips and Marianne had
three more children; Patricia, Mi
chael and current Tribal Council
member Kathleen.
Kathleen remembers what it was
like growing up with a father in the
timber industry.
"My dad was a logger," said Kath
leen, "so he would move around
with the logging business."
Tom traveled around the Pa
cific Northwest to various logging
camps. He said that he would spend
up to three months in each camp
before moving to
the next site.
Maybe Tom
had a true pas
sion for logging
or maybe it was
because he did it
for 45 years, but
when he would
talk about it,
he would go on
about his many
experiences and
give detailed
descriptions of
how the opera
tion worked and
the many "char
acters" he would
run into along
the way.
He r.e m e m -bered
a par
ticular Sunday
evening that he
and good friend
Pete Aldridge
were heading back
to camp after a
weekend in town. They stopped
off at a cafe to get a bite to eat when
he recalled Aldridge ordering the
"Cannibal." The "Cannibal" is a
hamburger with all of the fixings
but the meat is raw. Tom began
laughing while telling the story
and said that everyone in the cafe
was just looking at Aldridge with
disgust.
Tom also remembered some good
times he had with now deceased
Siletz Tribal Elder and coworker
Gilbert "Gib" Baker.
Chips and Marianne parted ways.
Marianne moved to Salem and
Chips continued working in the
logging circuit. Still in the timber
industry, Tom also spent 12 years
working with plywood at mills in
Corvallis and Independence.
Although her parents were di
vorced, Kathleen recalls the good
. J
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in i i iii ii i i 1 i i -i i i la.
Chips Tom's Family during 2006 Thanksgiving.
"It must have been in the early
fifties," said Tom, "Gib and I and
his brothers had gone down to New
port. I was still a minor yet and the
police picked us up for fighting. I
still owe the city of Newport $5. If
they read this story," he continued
with a chuckle, "they might come
and get me."
Tom had a reputation of being a
great logger. Kathleen explained
that throughout her life, she has
always heard stories about her
father's expertise as a woodsman.
"He was really in his own element
in the woods," she said. "He was
memories she had with her dad.
"Spending time with dad was
some of the best times of my child
hood," Kathleen said. "I was about
eight or nine and I remember we
were staying in Mill City because
that's where dad was working. Mi
chael and I would fish all day every
day. When staying with mom in the
city, we didn't get to do that."
Kathleen then spoke of her fa
ther, as a father.
"All of us kids had a great deal
of respect for him," she said. "He
never had to lick us. All he had to
do was look at us and we knew. It
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remained on council for three terms.
"When dad got on council, I was
extremely proud of him," said Kath
leen. "He always voted the way
he thought was right and I always
admired that about him."
Tom sat on council when Spir
it Mountain Casino opened and
played an influential role in the
creation of the Spirit Mountain
Community Fund. A lot like his
athletic career and his career in
the woods, Tom was admired and
acknowledged by his peers.
"I thought he did a good job rep
resenting us," said Tribal Elder
Kathryn Harrison who served 'on
council with Tom. "He had the
courage to be involved. And I
always thought he had the best
interest of the Tribe."
When Tom's time was up on
council, it was not because he didn't
receive enough votes for another
term, but because he chose not to
run again.
"We were all surprised when he
said he wasn't going to run again,"
said Harrison. "I remember him
saying that it just wasn't fun any
more." Tom is currently serving on Grand
Ronde's Timber Committee. Since
Tom's stint on council, he likes to
spend his free time fishing and
spending time with his family. His
children and grandchildren seem
very important to him.
"I am very proud of what my kids
have become," said Tom.
Tom's oldest daughter Victoria
lives with her husband in Salem
and "doing very well" Tom said.
Patricia worked for the Tribe for
many years and currently serves on
Grand Ronde's Health Committee.
Michael is retired, due to an
injury, from the iron business and
currently resides in Idaho.
Kathleen is currently serving on
Tribal Council and explains that
she is a third gen
eration council
member which
she feels makes
her father very
proud.
Although fish
ing is now Tom's
true passion, he
jokes about his
most recent hob
by, a sport called
golf.
"I carry a
bag around the
course," he said.
"I'm no Arnold
Palmer, I'll tell
you that much."
Despite the fact
that Tom would
have made dif
ferent choices if
given the oppor-
Tribal Council members in the mid-1 990's posed where Spirit Mountain Casino now stands. Kathryn Harrison (I to r),
Leon "Chips" Tom, Mark Mercier, Ed Larsen, Merle Holmes, Candy Robertson and Val Grout.
like a legend out there. No matter
where I go or who I speak to, they
always have something good to say
about him."
Thirteen years after being wed,
was kind of a silent language. His
silence spoke volumes to us."
Chips retired from the logging in
dustry in 1990. In the mid 1990's, he
began serving on Tribal Council and
tunity to do it all
over again, he is
content with the
paths his life had
lead him.
"When I look back on my life,"
said Tom, "I can see everything
that I should have done. But I am
thankful for all of my life experi