Geoff Tomlinson Fund

Geoff Tomlinson was born in Livingston, New Jersey on July 21, 1985 and spent his first 10 years in Ridgefield, Connecticut. He moved to Corvallis Oregon in 1995 with his family, and attended Western View Middle School and Corvallis High School, where he graduated in 2003. He attended Oregon State University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering. Geoff died unexpectedly July 4, 2012. At the time of his death, Geoff was employed as Assistant Director of Operations of the OSU KidSpirit program where he touched the lives of many kids enrolled in the KidSpirit and Girls on the Run programs. His camp name was “Ash”, a Pokémon character. Geoff was a gentle giant at 6’4” — handsome, kind and easy-going, with a wonderful smile and great sense of humor. Geoff is remembered by the KidSpirit staff as a caring leader, mentor, role model, hero and all around go-to guy. He was a real problem-solver and had tremendous patience. Geoff’s favorite things were listening to music on his iPod, running, and playing video games on his computer. He enjoyed being tested on his knowledge of 90′s trivia, and when he was bored, he did long division in his head.

In the 3 years before his death, Geoff created a diet and exercise program for himself that resulted in him losing over 80 pounds and developing a healthy lifestyle. It was an accomplishment that he was very proud of. He worked out at Dixon Recreation Center on the Oregon State University campus and focused on eating a nutritious diet. Running became his passion after taking a running class at OSU. He competed in numerous races in the 2 years before his death including the first and second Corvallis Half-Marathon, the Shamrock Run in Portland, and many 5K races for charity. He was always trying to be a better runner and get as fit as he could. Many of his friends and co-workers have been inspired by Geoff’s commitment to health and fitness and are embracing these ideals in their own lives.

Geoff’s parents, Charlie and Maria Tomlinson, established this donor advised fund in 2013 in memory of their son and to honor his role as a leader and mentor to his peers and the participants of KidSpirit.