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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Dec '81
Thomas Harold Mahan No. 15856 Class of 1946 Died 17
January 1980 in Helena, Montana, aged 55 years. Interment: Arlington
National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia. |
Tom was Born 14 December 1924 in Bozeman, Montana.
His family moved to Helena, Montana, where he attended school,
graduating from high school in 1942. He attended Montana State
University one year before entering the United States Military
Academy. Tom graduated from West Point 4 June 1946.
When the Korean Conflict arose, Tom was serving
with the 27 Infantry regiment, 25th Infantry Division in Japan.
He served with this "Wolfhound" Regiment in Korea in
1950-51. Returning to Japan he served in the honor guard for
General Douglas MacArthur and General Matthew Ridgway.
Tom resigned from the Army in 1953 to enter the
University of Montana Law School. He received his Bachelor and
Doctor of Law degrees from the University of Montana. During
this time, he also studied law at the University of Colorado,
Boulder, Colorado. He was a member of Phi Delta Phi Legal fraternity
and was president 1954-55.
During his law career he was admitted to practice
by the Montana Supreme Court; United States District Court, Montana;
United States Court of Claims; United States Supreme Court; Circuit
Court of Appeals and the Interstate Commerce Commission. He was
a member and served as president of the State Bar of Montana;
was a member of the First Judicial District Bar Association;
Trail Lawyer's Association; National Council of Bar Presidents,
Western States Bar Conference, American Bar Association, and
American Judicature Society. Tom was an authority on poverty
law and the rights of the indigent. He authored an extensive
article on family law for the Montana Law Review in 1978. He
lectured on poverty law at various law schools and administrative
meetings and authored the section of the 1972 Montana Constitution
giving the State the authority to care for indigent persons.
Tom was involved with many volunteer organizations
and activities. A few of these are: The Montana Heart Association
where he served on all levels during his 24 years of activity.
He was president in 1957. As a member of the American Heart Association
he served as president of the Northwest Rocky Mountain Region
Board of Directors; he was national vice president, on the national
finance committee and the national evaluation subcommittee. He
was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans for which
he served as state president and national committeeman. Tom served
as District Representative for the United States Military Academy
for the last 15 years of his life. He was Civilian Aide to the
Secretary of the Army, 1975 until his death. Tom was a member
of the Helena Chamber of Commerce and served on the hoard of
directors for three years. He was a member of the Montana Historical
Society, Algeria Shrine, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Helena Civitan
Club, and Plymouth Congregational Church, where he was past chairman
of the diaconate.
Tom received the Distinguished Service Award for
the State Bar of Montana, the Bronze and the Silver service awards
from the American Heart Association, the Jade Gavel award for
service as regional chairman of the American Heart Association,
and Notable Americans award 1976-77. He was included in Who's
Who in the West, and Who's Who in American Law. He has been nominated
to receive the Outstanding Montanan award.
Tom is survived by his wife, Erys, 1800 Silver
Street, Helena, Montana; two daugh-ters, Coleen Mahan Lawlor,
Chesapeake, Virginia; Molly Mahan Stewart, Missoula, Montana;
and two grandchildren, Michael Mahan Lawlor and Molly Beth Lawlor.
Tom loved his God, his country and his family and
spent his life in service to all three.
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