Thomas James Pruden, 70, of Ivins Utah died October 7, 2015 at Dixie Regional Hospital of a sudden cardiac event. His wife Michele (Maciag - Hayes) was with him at the time of his passing. Tom was born May 22, 1945, in Adrian, Michigan to Merlin James and Elizabeth (Briggs) Pruden. As firstborn of five siblings, Tom attended school in several Michigan cities throughout his youth; graduating from Posen High School in 1963. He earned a BS degree from the University of Michigan in 1967 majoring in astronomy with a physics minor. Tom married former wife Shirley (Krajniak) of Posen, Michigan in 1966. They raised two sons, Devin born in Florida and Michael born in New Jersey. Tom served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1968, attaining the rank of Captain. Tom continued service to country through a career with Electronics Command Intelligence, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey and later at Foreign Science and Tech Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. His career then took him to California for work with Electromagnetic Systems Laboratory, Inc. Tom’s third son, Evan Keech was born in California to Karen Keech of Santa Cruz. Tom retired twice from ESL, first in 2000 and finally in 2007. A chance meeting during his first retirement resulted in marriage to Michele (Hayes) of Kalamazoo, Michigan in July 2005. Tom, by then a proud grandfather, settled into full retirement with Michele in Ivins, Utah. Tom enjoyed a wide range of experiences and interests. A life-long athletics enthusiast, Tom played baseball and basketball in his younger days, later turning to racquetball and hiking. Tom had an eye for photography, often capturing the beauty of his surroundings and the magnificence of nature, notably in the Red Rock Mountains where he spent his final years. He traveled extensively in Southeast Asia and other locales, shooting thousands of excellent photos along the way. Tom embraced his local community, being active in civic matters. He made a point of learning local history and was adept at introducing visitors to points of interest in the Ivins area. He sometimes voiced well thought out opinions at city council meetings and occasionally authored local interest articles published by The Spectrum. Tom was always enthralled by the night sky. He was an avid star gazer starting with cold night excursions in Michigan contrasting with the warmth of more recent viewings from his prized desert cabin. Tom’s keen intellect and wry sense of humor will be remembered by all who knew him. He was a loyal and trusted friend. His loving devotion to Michele was exceptional. He lived a full life, rich with love, patriotic pride, and professional accomplishments. Tom’s colleagues praise his ingenious technical achievements. Tom’s retirement years were filled with a calm and peaceful contentment. He will be missed. Survived by loving wife, Michele; three sons, Devin of Santa Clara, California; Michael (Tracey) of Alviso, California; Evan Keech of Santa Cruz, California; grandchildren, Sophia and Ian; two brothers, John (Kathi) of Munising, Michigan and David (Kathy) of Essexville, Michigan; two sisters, Marsha (Joseph) Hoppe and Judy VanDusen both of Alpena, Michigan; former wife and mother of Devin and Michael, Shirley Giles of Saratoga, California; mother of Evan, Karen Keech of Santa Cruz, California; Aunt Geraldine (Claude) Smith of Baltimore, Maryland, Aunt Elma DeLine of Midland, MI; several nieces, nephews, and dear friends. A gathering of family and friends to celebrate Tom’s life will be Saturday, November 21, 2015 at McWilliams Funeral Home – Alpena from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Military honors will be accorded at 7:00 PM at the funeral home by VFW Post #2496. Contributions may be made to United States Veterans support groups. Special thanks to the staff of Dixie Regional Hospital and EMT units involved for providing dedicated care. Additional thanks to Spilsbury Mortuary for kindness in support and service.