Thomas Zurcher devoted life to helping homeless

Thomas Traugott "Tom" Zurcher, the sweet-tempered Swiss immigrant who co-founded Seattle's Matt Talbot-New Hope Center, devoted his life to helping the homeless.

He refused to give up on anyone, no matter how low they fell or how many excuses they gave, say friends. He was also able to calm angry people.

But he also took in strangers, played Scrabble with them and let them know there were always ways to mend broken lives.

"He helped the least and the lost," said center co-director Gregg Alex. "In the military, he learned to cook, making something from nothing. He did the same with people. Tom was convinced God could do a lot with a little."

Mr. Zurcher died Sunday (June 25) of prostate cancer. He was 66.

"He was always a nice man, the type who, when someone was down on their luck, brought them home to dinner," said daughter Debbie Medawar of Bellevue. "His youngest brother had Down syndrome, so my father learned early to care for people."

One of five sons born to farmers in Switzerland, he moved to Wisconsin, then California with his brothers and uncle in 1954.

He served in the Army in the mid-1950s in Korea.

He earned a liberal-arts degree in theology at Mount San Antonio College in Pomona, Calif.

From 1973 to 1979 he ran The Church of Religious Science in Medford, Ore., then returned to California to work in sales.

Again called by spiritual work, he moved to Seattle. In 1984 he founded New Hope Center under the aegis of his nondenominational New Hope ministry.

In 1985 the center merged with Catholic Community Services' Matt Talbot Center, and later bought a building in the 2300 block of Third Avenue.

Mr. Zurcher began his ministry offering a drop-in living room where street people could get a cup of coffee, dinner and camaraderie. He helped the center develop counseling and medical programs, housing referrals and Bible study.

"Being Swiss, he loved to hike in the mountains," said Alex. "Every Friday he took a group out to learn a little self-reliance."

Mr. Zurcher related to all age groups, says his wife of 41 years, Margaret Zurcher of Issaquah.

"Many times he had to work late or stay overnight with people," she said. "I'd worry he'd get stabbed to death. There was a knife-wielding citizen once - but Tom yelled at him to drop it, and he did."

Also surviving are sons Tim Zurcher, Marysville, and Dave Zurcher, Edmonds; brothers Rudy Zurcher, Enumclaw, and Theodore Zurcher, Switzerland; and six grandchildren.

A life celebration will be held at 1 p.m. today at Bellevue Christian Reformed Church, 1221 148th Ave. N.E., Bellevue.

Donations may go to Matt Talbot-New Hope Center, 2313 Third Ave., Seattle, WA 98121; or Bellevue Christian Reformed Church Benevolent Fund (ZIP: 98007).