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It is with deep sadness to report that Tony Bamonte passed away on July 11, 2019.
He was an exceptional human being who has left a giant hole in the lives of those who knew and loved him, but who also left an amazing legacy that will live on. ____________________ |
Tony and Suzanne Bamonte
Since 1995, Tony and Suzanne Bamonte have developed an extensive body of work chronicling the early history of the Inland Northwest. Their writings contain thoroughly documented, interesting narrative (culled from untold hours of researching original resource material) and the plentiful use of historical photographs. Their focus has been on covering the most fascinating, entertaining, and noteworthy events from the region's rich history.
Through Tornado Creek Publications, the Bamontes have edited and published books on various aspects of the region's history for other local authors. There is a treasure trove of history to be found among these wonderful books. See BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS.
ABOUT THE BAMONTES:
Both are natives of the Inland Northwest. Tony was born in Wallace, Idaho, and Suzanne in Ione, Washington; both were raised in Metaline Falls, Washington, in north Pend Oreille County. They were married in 1994 and presently reside in Spokane, Washington. Tony and Suzanne share a deep interest in the history of the Inland Northwest. Over the past 20 years, their passion for the region's history, and desire to preserve it, has resulted in numerous books written and published by them. They have also collaborated on a number of books and published for other authors through their company, Tornado Creek Publications. For about 13 years, they were the editors and/or publishers of the Spokane Westerners’ (an organization of Western Americana history enthusiasts) semi-annual publication, "The Pacific Northwesterner.” They are also former editors of "Nostalgia Magazine” and have written various pieces on local history for other local publications. In 2004, they published the first (and to-date, only) issue of their own “published every-so-often” magazine, “Spokan Times-Coeur d’Alene Nugget.” They continue to be actively involved in recording the region's history and have a number of upcoming projects.
Tony has a Bachelor’s Degree from Whitworth College and Master’s Degree from Gonzaga University. He spent 25 years in law-enforcement, starting with his service as a military police officer in Vietnam, then as a Spokane police officer (1966-1974), and finally as a three-term sheriff of Pend Oreille County (1978-1991). While a member of the Spokane Police Department, he arrested the first man to ever plead guilty to first-degree murder in the state of Washington. During his tenure as sheriff, he researched and wrote a history of the sheriffs of Pend Oreille County as his master’s thesis, which was subsequently published as a book entitled Sheriffs: 1911-1989, A History of Murders in the Wilderness of Washington’s Last County. In the process of writing this book, he solved the nation’s oldest active murder case, the murder of a Newport, Washington, marshal in 1935. A national bestseller book titled Breaking Blue, by Timothy Egan, was written about that case. Tony’s first published writing endeavor was History of Metaline Falls. He has also had various other occupations, including being a miner, a logger, construction worker, licensed Washington State Realtor, and book publisher.
Suzanne graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant. Prior to her relocation to Spokane and marriage to Tony, she lived in Seattle. She was the controller of The Glass Eye, an art-glass studio, from 1988-1993, and the controller of Edmark Corporation, a publisher of special education materials for the developmentally disabled, from 1982-1988. Prior to that, she worked in the field of public accounting.
Through Tornado Creek Publications, the Bamontes have edited and published books on various aspects of the region's history for other local authors. There is a treasure trove of history to be found among these wonderful books. See BOOKS BY OTHER AUTHORS.
ABOUT THE BAMONTES:
Both are natives of the Inland Northwest. Tony was born in Wallace, Idaho, and Suzanne in Ione, Washington; both were raised in Metaline Falls, Washington, in north Pend Oreille County. They were married in 1994 and presently reside in Spokane, Washington. Tony and Suzanne share a deep interest in the history of the Inland Northwest. Over the past 20 years, their passion for the region's history, and desire to preserve it, has resulted in numerous books written and published by them. They have also collaborated on a number of books and published for other authors through their company, Tornado Creek Publications. For about 13 years, they were the editors and/or publishers of the Spokane Westerners’ (an organization of Western Americana history enthusiasts) semi-annual publication, "The Pacific Northwesterner.” They are also former editors of "Nostalgia Magazine” and have written various pieces on local history for other local publications. In 2004, they published the first (and to-date, only) issue of their own “published every-so-often” magazine, “Spokan Times-Coeur d’Alene Nugget.” They continue to be actively involved in recording the region's history and have a number of upcoming projects.
Tony has a Bachelor’s Degree from Whitworth College and Master’s Degree from Gonzaga University. He spent 25 years in law-enforcement, starting with his service as a military police officer in Vietnam, then as a Spokane police officer (1966-1974), and finally as a three-term sheriff of Pend Oreille County (1978-1991). While a member of the Spokane Police Department, he arrested the first man to ever plead guilty to first-degree murder in the state of Washington. During his tenure as sheriff, he researched and wrote a history of the sheriffs of Pend Oreille County as his master’s thesis, which was subsequently published as a book entitled Sheriffs: 1911-1989, A History of Murders in the Wilderness of Washington’s Last County. In the process of writing this book, he solved the nation’s oldest active murder case, the murder of a Newport, Washington, marshal in 1935. A national bestseller book titled Breaking Blue, by Timothy Egan, was written about that case. Tony’s first published writing endeavor was History of Metaline Falls. He has also had various other occupations, including being a miner, a logger, construction worker, licensed Washington State Realtor, and book publisher.
Suzanne graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant. Prior to her relocation to Spokane and marriage to Tony, she lived in Seattle. She was the controller of The Glass Eye, an art-glass studio, from 1988-1993, and the controller of Edmark Corporation, a publisher of special education materials for the developmentally disabled, from 1982-1988. Prior to that, she worked in the field of public accounting.