Tom - or as I called him - Tombo, was my stepfather and an exceptional man. Tombo welcomed 15 year old me into his home with open arms which I know would not have been an easy task for most people; he made it feel easy. He taught me about the magic of living in rural Nevada, about guns, how to fish, and how to drive. I only lived with him for a few years before moving away to college and he was the one who drove me to UNR and helped me get set up in my dorm. He rescued me multiple times when I had car trouble. I can't even count how many times I got stuck in the snow and he'd come rolling up in his white truck to pull me out, always laughing and calling me a dumbass (haha). He was at every graduation and major life moment in my adulthood. He cared for my mother and stood by her side through a lot of difficult times and after she died in 2020, he helped keep her memory alive by sharing stories and memories with me. He was a character, that's for sure, and always had me laughing in our phone calls by saying some not-so-politically-correct commentary that you would expect from him if you knew him. I only knew him for 18 years and loved him for the care and stability he brought into mine and my mother's lives, I can't imagine the impact he had on others he knew much longer. You'll be sorely missed, Tombo.

Lots of love,

Katie