Thomas ‘Tom’ M. Monchak ’70, MS ’75 of Phoenix, Ariz., died June 23, 2011. Tom was born in 1947 in Pueblo, Colo., where he graduated from Central High School with honors. He earned professional and master’s degrees in mathematics from Mines, where he captained the bowling team and served six years in the Army Reserves. While working on his master’s degree, Tom began an 18-year career with the Colorado Department of Transportation. He eventually reached the position of pre-construction engineer for the Denver metropolitan area, and enjoyed managing the design of Denver area freeways. He later took a position with a private firm in Phoenix.
Tom was a longtime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Transportation Engineers. In 1999, Tom met his wife, Lori, and the couple married in Sedona in 2001. After retiring in 2006, he enjoyed hiking, playing golf, poker, fishing, gardening, raising orchids, collecting kaleidoscopes and watching movies. Tom is survived by his wife, Lori; daughter Brooke; brother Dan ’74; stepson Nick; and one grandchild.
