Thomas Truxtun (Tommy) Craven died June 22, 2022 in St. Marie's Idaho. He was born February 18, 1954 in Seattle Washington to Janet Dickinson Craven and Truxtun Craven, their third child and only son. He is survived by his sisters, Christine Craven (Rik Dalvit), Catherine Mix (Tom), and Dorothy McCoy and numerous nieces and nephews.

Tommy entered first grade at Vashon Elementary shortly after his family moved to the island, and graduated from Vashon High School in 1972. He enlisted in the Navy the following year, completing his service in 1977. He was proud to be a veteran.

He loved Vashon Island and spent many happy childhood hours fishing and exploring the beach near Glen Acres. He was a natural athlete, a left-hander who played shortstop and pitched in Little League baseball.

Tommy worked at a variety of jobs through the years including stints at Olympic Instruments, Stewart Brothers Coffee, and Island Security on Vashon. He also spent a number of years living and working in California, and at least one carefree winter living rough on a beach in Mexico.

He loved to ski and invented roller skis so he could ski on paved roads year round. Olympic Roller Skis, ORSS, were just one of many inventions Tommy dreamt up and developed. He was always on the lookout for a problem that needed a solution, and several of his inventions attracted interest from investors.

A self-taught engineer and builder, Tommy designed and built a rustic cabin next door to his childhood home in Glen Acres with wood milled from a large redwood tree his mother had planted as a seedling in the back yard. He lived there as his parents aged and helped them with yard work.

He left the island after his parents were gone and divided his time between Arizona and Idaho, living in his motor home with his cat Rascal. He outfitted himself with a Jeep and a small fishing boat, a barbecue, fishing gear and a set of golf clubs and made new friends in RV parks along the way.

Tommy was a character, a wild man, an energetic original who loved to make his friends laugh. He appreciated people in all their infinite variety, especially women; he enjoyed a good pun, worked tirelessly to execute a prank, and always had a new invention taking shape in his mind.

In spite of his many gifts, Tommy's life was limited by alcoholism, which grew more severe as he got older. He also increasingly suffered bouts of depression. Some combination of these led him to take his own life on that sunny afternoon in June. He didn't leave a note or reach out to friends, he just ended his pain. He will be missed.

A Graveside Service is planned September 10, 2022 at 1:00p.m. at Vashon Island Cemetery.