Thomas Caughlan, 71

Thomas Vaughn Caughlan, physician, friend, and family man, died at home of natural causes on Oct. 24, 2022. He was 71.

Tom was born on February 16, 1951, at the Merced, California, Army base to Jean Beno Caughlan and Eugene "Red" Caughlan. He was the second of three children. He grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

He attended undergraduate school at the University of Iowa where he ran track. He went to medical school at the University of Iowa. He specialized in internal medicine. He began practicing medicine in Madison, Wisconsin, at the Dean Clinic. It was there he met Dr. Barbara Gutschenritter. They fell in love, married, and welcomed their son Ryan. They celebrated 40 years of marriage together.

In 1987, Tom and Barbara moved to Kalispell where Tom practiced medicine with Drs. Al and Louise Swanberg in internal medicine. In 1989, he joined Dr. Bernadette Van Belois, and Dr. Roger Diegel and formed the Tamarack Clinic. Tom loved his patients and was committed to providing the highest quality care as they faced health concerns in their adult lives. He subsequently went on to obtain board certification in geriatric medicine and palliative medicine as well. Tom was most proud of initiating the hospice program in Kalispell.

Tom relished the role of Ryan's father. He loved family camping and biking vacations and taught Ryan to ski, and to canoe on Flathead Lake. Every spring break, they camped and biked in Moab, Utah.

Tom was an outdoor enthusiast, and cherished outdoor adventures with friends, especially his closest friend, Don Scharfe. Don introduced Tom to long-distance road biking and mountain biking. Together they rode the 135-mile Highline Hammer each summer; they biked the Ratpod every year. They rode one of Levi Leipheimer's favorite routes in Santa Rosa, California. They also hiked and climbed, summiting most of the peaks of Glacier National Park and also Mount Rainier.

After retiring in 2013, Tom's greatest joy was taking his grandsons, Adlai and Atikiss, biking, skiing, hiking, and canoeing on Flathead Lake while showering them with love. He was so proud of the father Ryan had become.

Tom will be remembered for his keen intellect, his sharp wit, his athletic abilities and his unfailing love for his family.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Jean and Red, and by his brother Charlie.

Tom is survived by his wife and life companion, Barbara; his son Ryan; his grandson Adlai and stepgrandson Atikiss; his sister and brother-in-law Nora and Scott Bergen; brothers- and sisters-in-law of the Gutschenritter family; and nieces, nephews of the Caughlan and Gutschenritter families.

A celebration of Tom's life will be held Aug. 24, 2023, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell.