Gaston, Thomas Alan "Tom" 58, of Phoenix, Arizona passed away on June 22, 2010. Tom was born in Phoenix, Arizona on March 25th, 1952, to Clif and Helen Gaston and left us unexpectedly on June 22nd for his permanent residence. At the age of 15 he started working for A. J. Bayless Markets as a carryout boy and worked his way up to management. In 1980 he joined the Phoenix Police Department as an officer serving the Maryvale community. In 1995 he was promoted to detective with the Property Crimes Bureau. Tom retired from the Phoenix Police Dept. in January 2007 and went back to work in 2008 with AKAL Security at the Federal Court building in Phoenix. He was an avid car enthusiast, and he and his wife Barbara have been members of the Arizona Classic Chevelle Club for the past 20 years. Tom would often describe himself as a "simple man." He was not bound to religion but instead to a relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was a faithful member of his church. Tom leaves behind his wife Barbara, whom he dearly loved, his sister Suzanne Bias and her husband Rod, his daughter and son-in-law Leesa and Robert Heaps, grandsons Gaston and Bentley, and many friends. Services will be held Saturday morning, June 26th at the Church at Arrowhead, 7902 W. Union Hills Dr., Glendale, with a visitation and viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 and the service to celebrate Tom's new life at 11:00 a.m. Tom was passionate about children coming to know Jesus as their Savior, and he was preparing to work at vacation Bible school next week as he had done for many years. Donations can be made in Tom's name to the Children's Ministry at The Church at Arrowhead 623-572-7902. "I go to prepare a place for you," Jesus told his disciples. We all share the desire - really a deep-down yearning - to be in that glorious home forever. It is a place of indescribable bliss. The supreme blessing will be the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! John 14:6 Published in The Arizona Republic on June 25, 2010