Video Club Mourns Passing of Dr. Tom Nash

SAVE THE DATE! A Tribute to the late Tom Nash, longtime Video Club Vice President, instructor, and guide, who passed away from natural causes on October 27, will be held on Saturday, January 24, from 3-5 pm in Clubhouse 7. The event is open to all Village residents and their guests who knew Tom and wish to attend. Refreshments will be served. More information to come.

Tom Nash’s daughter, Suzanne Rice of Portland, OR, provided the Video Club with following information about Tom, who died of natural causes.

“Thomas Lewellen Nash, born in Randolph, Vermont, July 3, 1936, died in Mission Viejo, California on October 27, 2025. He was 89 years old. 

“Tom grew up in Northwest Oregon, and was interested in everything, especially the latest in technology, like the radio. He became a Christian as a child, and his faith remained extremely important to him the rest of his life. 

“Tom graduated from Sheridan High School in 1954, and he began college in a small Christian college in Northwest Arkansas called John Brown University. He met Linda Story his senior year, and they got married the same day he graduated, May 30, 1959. 

“Tom worked in radio for in Oregon for a few years, and their son Robert was born there. Tom’s dream of becoming a missionary came true in 1963, and the Nash family moved to Okinawa, Japan where Tom worked in a radio station for the Fast East Broadcasting Company. Their daughter, Suzanne was born there the next year.

“Eventually the family moved back to the U. S. to East Lansing, Michigan, where Tom earned his Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Mass Communications at Michigan State University. Tom was a professor of radio, television, and film from 1976 – 2003, when he retired as Professor Emeritus from Biola University.

“Tom loved his church, technology, and his friends. He and his wife, Darlene, moved to Laguna Woods Village in 2013, and Tom made many good friends there. Darlene died in February 2014, and Tom kept on with his incredible optimism. He began taking dance classes, where he met a whole new circle of friends. He also became very involved with the Video Club of Laguna Woods. 

“Tom was preceded in death by his wife Darlene and his son, Robert. He leaves behind his daughter, Suzanne, her husband, Dale, Darlene’s three daughters, Tracy Homer, Cindy Western, and Kathy Dawes, and two grandchildren, Scott and Meredith Rice. 

“Arrangements for a Memorial Service are being made.”

Above, Tom discusses woodworking with Village resident Ami Gilad on his TV interview show, “Laguna Woods Stories” in 2024.

Service to the Video Club
Teaching classes in video production and video editing since the mid-2010’s, Dr. Tom Nash brought the Video Club into a new level of video activity. He helped club members originate and produce several half-hour television series’ for Village TV, including “Beyond the Gates” and “Eyes on Books,” both currently in production. Starting in 2018, he encouraged and guided the production of six Short Dramatic Films — five of which may be viewed on the club’s YouTube channel. (Search Video Club of Laguna Woods > Playlists > Short Dramatic Films.)

Tom’s own monthly TV interview show, “Laguna Woods Stories,” (above) which he both hosted and produced, debuted on May 4, 2017 and has shared the lives of scores of accomplished Village residents over the years.

Since 2014, Tom served as the Video Club’s Vice President — most of that time, working closely with his friend, the late President Steve Carman (right). Their weekly luncheons at the 19 Restaurant provided a friendly venue for club planning, with Tom filling the roles of Video Studio Manager and Director of Learning Opportunities. In 2016, Tom spearheaded the addition of a second set to the Studio for green screen shooting and a video switcher for live-capturing of multi-camera shoots. Thanks to Steve’s and Tom’s leadership, in 2019, the Golden Rain Foundation funded a separate Control Room/Classroom adjoining the Studio (see below).

In the summer of 2014, inspired by Tom’s early video production classes, club members formed a study group first known as the Studio Forum, which eventually became Video One Productions, devoted to team-based video efforts.

Below, Tom is shown with the late John Kelly seated at the switcher in the new Control Room/Classroom in 2019.

Throughout his years with the Video Club, Tom set a creative example for others, not only with his monthly TV show, but with his entries in many annual Short Video Contests. As recently as last February, Tom’s video, “Found Treasures,” a humorous take on items found near Village dumpsters, won second place at the 14th Annual Goldie Awards Banquet.

Below, Tom is shown with Goldie winners (from left) Lucy Parker and Katharine Holland on February 27, 2025 at the club’s 14th Annual Awards Banquet.

Other Village Activities
Reaching beyond the Video Club, Tom was active in other Village organizations — among them several dance groups; the California Club, where he served as President; Thrive, a group dedicated to fostering social connections and health education among Village residents; and the Golden Rain Foundation Communications Committee, where he served an an Advisor.