Tom was born in Boston in 1952. He graduated from Milton Academy and Harvard College. Tom earned his law degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 1979, and began his legal career by clerking for U.S. District Court Judge Frederick B. Lacey of New Jersey. From there, he moved on to work as a litigator at the Wall Street law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell.

In 1983, Tom moved with his family to Seattle and became a federal prosecutor, foregoing the prestige of a top-tier New York law firm to instead serve the federal government. As an Assistant United States Attorney, he was a leading trial lawyer for major white collar and business fraud cases, as well as a leader in professional circles, serving as head of various Bar associations and as chair of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Commission.

Tom was also a passionate activist and civic leader. He served as chair of the Seattle Planning Commission, President of the Queen Anne Community Council, and as President of Washington Ceasefire.

Wales was a champion of reasonable, common-sense solutions designed to reduce handgun violence throughout Washington State and across the nation. In 1997, he led one of the broadest statewide coalitions ever assembled in the effort to pass an initiative mandating a trigger-lock accompany every handgun sold in the state and requiring that all handgun owners successfully complete a safety course or pass a written examination in order to obtain a mandatory gun license. And during the 2000 elections, he headed an aggressive television campaign highlighting the gun safety issue. For years, Wales was a courageous leader and tireless advocate for the cause of common sense gun control.

Tom was also an avid athlete and outdoorsman. He climbed Mt. Rainier and most other major peaks of the Pacific Northwest, most of them several times. He loved skiing, hiking, camping, whitewater rafting, and running.

He leaves a son, Thomas Crane Wales VII, of Seattle, currently studying at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a daughter, Amy McCutcheon Mueller Wales, also of Seattle and currently residing in London. His brother, Richard Douglas Wales of San Francisco, his sister, Katherine Wales, of Wrentham, Mass., and his parents, Thomas Crane Wales and Sonia (Douglas) Wales of Cambridge, as well as many nieces and nephews, also survive him.

Other family members in Seattle include his former wife, Elizabeth Mueller Wales, Anne Mueller Redman (Elizabeth's sister), Eric Redman (Mr. Wales brother-in-law from his former marriage) and Heather Redman (Eric's wife).

Tom was legendary among friends and family for his holiday fruitcake recipe. He spent several nights preparing the cakes each Christmas and delivered them to family, friends and colleagues across the country. Tom became the target of endless fruitcake jokes and related gifts. The Seattle Post Intelligencer featured the recipe in an article in December of 1999.

Tom Wales' White Fruitcake

• 1 pound butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 1 box (2 1/2 cups) seedless raisins
• 1 box (2 cups) currants
• 1/2 cup candied orange peel, chopped
• 1/2 cup candied lemon peel, chopped
• 1/2 cup candied citron peel, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and fold into butter/egg/sugar mixture. Add vanilla, cognac, all fruits and mix well. Pour into a well-buttered tube pan or six small loaf pans. Bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until inserted cake tester comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from pans. While warm, glaze with confectioners' sugar and water icing, flavored to taste with grated lemon rind

Click here to read the Seattle P.I. article featuring Tom's recipe: http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/lifestyle/make08.shtml

Click here to read the complete text of Tom's Commencement address to the Edmonds Community College class of 2001.