Thomas (Tom)Malcolm Clement, Jr. was called to heaven by his Lord and Savior at 3:00 pm Thursday, January 9, 2025 at his home in Baker City. The Lord graciously waited for Tom’s brother John to be at his bedside as he left this earth. Our dear brother and friend is with Christ, which is far better.

Tom was born in Richland, WA in 1945 to parents Tom and Anne Clement who preceded him in death. He is survived by brothers John (Sharon), of Kennewick, Paul (Sandi) of Bothell, WA, and sisters Barb Klassen (Steve) of Pocatello, ID, and Kate Harty (Mike) of Richland, WA as well as many nieces and nephews who had high respect and love for their uncle Tom.

Tom grew up in Richland with parents who nurtured his love of the outdoors, whether it was fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, or rescuing birds. He graduated from Richland High School in 1964 where he was an outstanding athlete in baseball; from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology in 1968; and from Kansas State University with a master’s degree that led to a brief career with the Corps of Engineers. The work Tom did writing environmental impact studies took him to work in Washington, D.C., but Tom said he left the political scene there as quickly as he could to return to the Pacific Northwest. Tom’s passion for the outdoors led him to diverse activities all his life. He was an avid fly fisherman with master class fly tying abilities and worked for Orvis several years creating custom flies. In later years, Tom’s interest focused on prospecting and rock hunting in the Baker County area. From his finds and his woodworking skills, he created beautiful sculptures incorporating varieties of wood, gems, and metals as a way to share his faith in Jesus. While he lived in Baker City, he volunteered his time spending countless hours clearing overgrown brush and trees to preserve the beauty of the Leo Adler Trail. All these activities resulted in many wonderful friends in Baker City and opportunities to share the gospel and encourage each other in their faith.

Tom would want everyone to know that the most important event in his life was his acceptance of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. He made his decision through reading and studying the Bible on his own when he lived in Moses Lake in the early 1970’s. Tom grew in his faith and in his relationship with Jesus through continued study on his own and through fellowship with like-minded believers meeting for prayer, Bible study, and remembering the Lord’s death. Tom followed a full-time calling to what he identified as “highway and hedges” ministry in the early 1980’s. (Luke 14:23 is “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.”) With that call Tom totally trusted God to provide his needs, and God was faithful. Every adventure and interest the remainder of his life was a venue to share Christ whether it was a rock club event, a camp, or clearing a trail. He spoke at many Bible conferences and wrote tracts to share with anyone at any time. For several years, he led a Bible study in his home weekly in Baker City. He loved to sing hymns and collated and published a collection of hymns.

During his battle with cancer, he could be heard praying even before he got out of bed, praising God and asking Him for help with the day. As his physical strength lessened, Tom often said, “Lord, help.”

God used Tom to lead many to salvation. All who witnessed Tom’s life for Jesus would agree that in heaven Tom heard Jesus say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Tom and his family appreciate and love the many friends and caregivers who helped him during the final months of his life so that he could remain in his own home.

A memorial service will be held January 22 at Richland Baptist Church on George Washington Way at 1:30 with a reception dinner immediately following at Sunset Gardens Event Center where people can share their memories of times with Tom and his impact on their lives. If you would like to send a memory via email, please send it to John at jclementgallery@icloud.com. For those unable to attend,

the service will be live streamed by Richland Baptist Church through their website. A service will also be held in Baker City at the Nazarene Church at 2:00, February 1. In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation to one of Tom’s favorite organizations, please consider Heart and Home Hospice, The Compassion Center, or Young Life, all in Baker City.