Tami Lynn Thatcher was born in Norman, Oklahoma on May 12th, 1958, to Richard and Eleanor Thatcher. As the first born and older sister to Brad and Elise, she found herself the leader and boss.

Tami passed away Sunday, February 19, 2017, in Denver, Colorado, from a respiratory infection (ARDS). Her family was by her side.

Tami attended Longfellow Elementary School, Kellogg Junior High School and Mayo High School. She graduated in 1976. She was a member of the National Honor Society.  In addition, she was a very successful swimmer and served as captain of the Mayo Girls Swim Team. She also participated on the Mayo High School Drill Team. Tami spent her summers in Rochester teaching swimming lessons to hundreds of Rochester and rural Rochester children. During this time, she discovered her passion to teach.

Tami attended The University of Colorado at Boulder following high school. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Art Degree and went on to teach for the Adams 12 School District for 25 years. She retired in 2013.

In 1997, Tami married Joel Hamm. The marriage ended in divorce. Tami and Joel continued to share a beautiful daughter, Maya Lynn, age 18. The greatest role in Tami's life was to be a great mother to Maya, who was the most important person in her life.

Tami loved living in Colorado. Regular requests to move back to Minnesota by her family were unsuccessful. She was a perfect Boulder fit and thrived with her many friends and co-workers there. She was a brilliant downhill skier and a devoted Colorado Buffalo football fan. She spent many holidays scuba diving in the Cayman Islands with her brother and sister. Being excellent swimmers and divers, Tami, Brad and Elise were known for stretching the Dive Master's directions (making the Dive Master very nervous).

Tami had a beautiful easy smile, she was bright, funny and warm, and she was generous to her family and friends. She will be missed by so many.

Tami is survived by her daughter, (Maya); parents, Richard and Eleanor Thatcher; brother, Bradley (Laurie); sister, Elise (Tom); nieces and nephews, Benjamin, Kaitlin and Jillian Thatcher; Anna and Cameron Laedtke.

The memorial service to celebrate Tami's life will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 21, 2017 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home (1105 12th St. S.E., Rochester, MN 55904) with Pastor John Maley officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.

Memorials are suggested to the Humane Society.