McAuliffe, Thomas Kent

Thomas Kent McAuliffe

Thomas Kent McAuliffe, age 61, of Phoenix, Arizona passed away of natural causes in early April 2022. He was born in 1960 in Jackson, Michigan.

He was cremated at the Phoenix Cremation Society on May 4, 2022 in AZ where his family will inter his remains privately. Condolences can be offered on the website www.phxcremation.com. 

Tom was married twice with no children. He is survived by his brothers Dan (wife Charie), Tim (sons Alexander and Jackson), and Terry (daughter Casey Marie). He was preceded in death by his parents John and Annetta McAuliffe of Jackson, MI, stepdaughter Jennifer Hanson, and grandmother Lempi (Clocky).

He was a member of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish attending their grade school. He went to Lumen Christi High School where he was nicknamed “Turk”, finishing up and graduating from Parkside High School.

Tom grew up playing with his 3 brothers in the nearby woods of Ella Sharp Park and the Cascades in Jackson. He enjoyed family gatherings and summers spent fishing at Grampa’s cottage on Round Lake as well as Aunt Marie and Unkie Arvo’s cabin on Wixom Lake. Clarks Lake and Lake Huron were favorite destinations. Numerous family vacations were taken together in the pop-up tent camper and RV to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, Florida, Washington D.C., Texas, Southwest Colorado, and the Western Mountain states. Tom started his own band and played guitar. Early trips to Arizona sparked an interest and passion in Native American turquoise and silver jewelry with Tom and his mother. He began a successful silversmithing career culminating in his certification by the Gemological Institute of America. His Mom, Annetta, founded Eagle Indian Jewelry in Jackson where Tom honed his skills and talents designing and making his own creations. Tom later managed the jewelry section at Sid Young’s Department Store. He was a golfer and helped cofound the Sid Young Charity Golf Tournament.

The temperate sunny climate of Arizona eventually drew Tom and his second wife Brenda Hanson west to Phoenix. It was here where Tom furthered his career as a successful retail sales associate in jewelry boutiques in Scottsdale and Fountain Hills. He enjoyed feeding his humming birds, playing with his dogs Spencer and Gunner, soaking up the sun next to his turquoise pool, and celebrating the winter seasons next to his fire pit with mesquite logs blazing. He hosted family gatherings at Christmas where precious memories were made. Tom loved to celebrate all of the holidays, especially Halloween

The joy that Tom infused our lives with will always be treasured. His talented jewelry creations are now family heirlooms. He is now in a better place and can celebrate his “Holiday of life” with those he has joined. 

Näkemiin, Baby Brother.