Pamela (West) Tatom Obituary (1947 - 2021)

On Sunday, April 4, 2021, Pamela W. Tatom, loving wife and mother of six children, and grandmother to six grandchildren, left this life due to complications from cancer. She was 74. Pamela was born on January 6, 1947 in Ogden, Utah to Rodney and Evelyn West. Pam was a proud graduate of Bonneville high school, where she served in student government, was active in the Glee Club, and was even elected Home Coming Queen. After turning down a full scholarship to study at Utah State University at Logan, Utah (to her parents' shock and dismay), she decided to attend the Church College of Hawaii, now Brigham Young University Hawaii, at Laie. While at Church College, Pamela met and married the love of her life, Benjamin Tatom, and began a life together that would span 54 years. Pamela, on top of being a full-time wife and mother, was employed by the Hershey Chocolate company for more than 32 years. She was a loved and respected colleague and mentor, and treasured member of her Hershey family. She started as a part time Merchandiser, and worked her way up to a nationally recognized Sales Person year after year, becoming the first person to sell $1,000,000.00 worth of products into a single store, in the history of the company. She loved reading, movie nights with our father, and quiet one on one talks with each of the children. One of her favorite pastimes was cooking huge family dinners, where we would eat too much, laugh the perfect amount, and play games where the most proficient cheater would win, and be heckled by those less skilled in the arts of deception. But the absolute lights of her life, were her grandchildren. Not a day went by where the grandkids weren't spoken with, spoken about, or where plans for visiting the grandkids were made. Our mother had a super power. Maybe the most important, most enduring super power of them all. Love. If you were to ask any of us kids who was her favorite, we would smile and say, "well, me, of course!" She had the ability to make you feel as if you were the most important person in the world. And we will carry that love, a Mother's Love, with us each and every day for the rest of our lives. We love you, Mom. Always. Pamela was preceded in death by her parents, Rodney and Evelyn. She is survived by siblings Gerald, Elaine, and Evaline; her husband, Benjamin; her six children, Jason, Nathan, Matthew, Jonathan, Malia, and Brennan; and six grandchildren, Kelia, Kayleb, Ryann, Mia, Camryn, and Emery. A private, family ceremony will be held. In lieu of cards or flowers, our mother would love if you would simply get your cancer testing done on time, and on schedule