OBITUARY:

Tom Bistagne, owner of Bistagne Bros., an auto body shop, and a longtime community philanthropist, died Friday of pancreatic cancer. He was 87.

Bistagne, a Glendale resident, started his business 62 years ago and became involved with local organizations when his children started attending school.

His involvement spanned the entire spectrum of the community.

“Tom would be the kind of guy to never say no,” son Bob Bistagne said. “If something needed doing, he was there to help.”

One of the first organizations that Bistagne joined was the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

As a car enthusiast, he worked with body shop programs at local high schools and at Glendale Community College, where he helped with the airplane repair department.

When Bistagne started his business, he managed his work, family and community service well, Bob Bistagne said.

Tom Bistagne served on the board of directors of Verdugo Mental Health. He was instrumental in finding property that was used to build the Glen Roberts Child Study Center, a Glendale community mental health center that provides individual, group and family therapy services.

In 2000, the Glendale Chamber of Commerce named Bistagne and his wife, Wanda, the Couple of the Year.

“He certainly contributed to many organizations, said Judee Kendall, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. “Tom was just a wonderful person. We’ll really miss him.”

Bistagne and his wife were also major supporters of Glendale Community College, said John Davitt, former president of the college.

They were instrumental in raising the funds for one of the labs of the Cimmarusti Science Center, Davitt said, adding that they also sponsored the college’s athletic Walk of Fame and the Patron’s Scholarship Program for low-income students.

Tom Bistagne served on the college’s foundation board in its early years.

Bistagne was born on April 17, 1920, in Marseille, France, and was raised in the Pasadena and Hollywood areas.

He attended John Marshall High School and Los Angeles City College.

Bistagne is survived by his wife, Wanda; daughter Kathy and her husband, Rob; son Bob and his wife, Tana; son Chuck and his wife, Leslie; grandsons Matthew, Teal, Robert, Brian, Adam and Alex.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Patty and grandson Christopher.

A viewing will be at 5 p.m. Friday at Cabot Mortuary, 27 Chestnut St., Pasadena.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Incarnation Catholic Church, 1001 N. Brand Blvd.