Tom was born to Cyril and Madeleine Bendorf June 4, 1924 in Flagstaff, Arizona. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during WWII as a fighter pilot and in the United States Air Force during the Korean War; he retired as a major in the Air Force Reserve. He held bachelor's and JD degrees from the University of San Francisco and was a Coro Fellow in 1954. Tom had a long political career, working in city management in California and participating in many presidential campaigns. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1958 to assist Senator Clair Engle and, during the administration of Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, was appointed Deputy Director of Finance for the State of California. Subsequently, he became a Washington, D.C. government representative for Lockheed Corporation and the State of South Carolina. Tom served as Director of National Affairs for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), eventually becoming its Executive Director. He was a member of the South Carolina Bar.
In 1984, Tom retired to Turton, South Dakota, where he enjoyed pheasant hunting and wide-open spaces. A master of networking before there was such a term, he was also an avid reader and is especially remembered for his storytelling.
Tom is survived by his sister Margaret Callahan; 12 children: Heidi Bendorf, Tom (Linda) Bendorf, Karl (Pat Lacey) Bendorf, Marta (Mike) McGuire, Kristin (Phillip) Drlicka, Elin (Tim) Murphy, Peter (Consuelo) Bendorf, Kurt Bendorf, Karen (Jim) Hartpence, Gretchen Miller, Lise Tesch, Erik (Cindy) Bendorf; 22 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Muriel "Murley" Aschen Bendorf, sister Martha Bendorf, SNJM, and grandson Brian McGuire.
Tom was born to Cyril and Madeleine Bendorf June 4, 1924 in Flagstaff, Arizona. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during WWII as a fighter pilot and in the United States Air Force during the Korean War; he retired as a major in the Air Force Reserve. He held bachelor's and JD degrees from the University of San Francisco and was a Coro Fellow in 1954. Tom had a long political career, working in city management in California and participating in many presidential campaigns. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1958 to assist Senator Clair Engle and, during the administration of Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, was appointed Deputy Director of Finance for the State of California. Subsequently, he became a Washington, D.C. government representative for Lockheed Corporation and the State of South Carolina. Tom served as Director of National Affairs for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), eventually becoming its Executive Director. He was a member of the South Carolina Bar.
In 1984, Tom retired to Turton, South Dakota, where he enjoyed pheasant hunting and wide-open spaces. A master of networking before there was such a term, he was also an avid reader and is especially remembered for his storytelling.
Tom is survived by his sister Margaret Callahan; 12 children: Heidi Bendorf, Tom (Linda) Bendorf, Karl (Pat Lacey) Bendorf, Marta (Mike) McGuire, Kristin (Phillip) Drlicka, Elin (Tim) Murphy, Peter (Consuelo) Bendorf, Kurt Bendorf, Karen (Jim) Hartpence, Gretchen Miller, Lise Tesch, Erik (Cindy) Bendorf; 22 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Muriel "Murley" Aschen Bendorf, sister Martha Bendorf, SNJM, and grandson Brian McGuire.
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