Thomas Stuart Tofell, 66, Millsap, Tex., passed away Friday, July 13, 2012, at Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, after a brief illness.
Visitation will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, July 17, at Whites Funeral Home in Weatherford, Texas.
A memorial service will be at 11:00 am, Wednesday, July 18, in the South Texas Room in the Amon Carter Building of the Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth, Texas. The service will be officiated by Joe Howard Williamson and Dr. Jim Sanders.
Tom was born January 6, 1946 in Malin, Ore., to Emil and Mildred Tofell. He is survived by Jan, his wife of 27 years; his daughter, Lisa, Weatherford, Texas; his brother and sister in law, James and Kathy, Roseburg, Ore.; brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Meralee Tofell. Klamath Falls, Ore; numerous nieces, nephews, and an abundance of friends, as Tom never met a stranger.
Tom was nationally known through his long associations with well known cutting horse horse breeders and trainers, including NCHA Futurity and World champion Leon Harrel; leading breeder Dan Lufkin and his Oxbow Ranch; Ernest Cannon, owner of World champion Jae Bar Fletch; as well as with Texas congressman Tom Loeffler.
Tom and Jan owned and operated a cutting and race horse business at their ranch in Millsap and were proud of their association with world champion cutting horses Docs Playmate, Doc N Missy, Jae Bar Fletch and Bet Hesa Cat. Tom was a Quarter Horse racing partner and long time associate of Jim Ware of Western Bloodstock auction company.
Pallbearers will be Vin Betenbough; Todd Bimat; Mike Haack; Eddie Howard; Joe Landers; Bruce Lusk; Dennis Moreland; Chris Ray DVM; Bart Tofell and Jim Ware. Honorary pallbearers will be Ernest Cannon; Leon Harrel; D. Wayne Gilbreath; Gary Halousek; Neal Halousek; Wayne Hodges; Gordon Johnson; Gary Kennell; Dan Lufkin; Robert Lewis, DVM; Bobby Nelson; Gayle Trotter, DVM; and Sam Wilson.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Tom’s honor to the National Youth Cutting Horse Association Scholarship Fund, c/o NCHA, 260 Bailey Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76107.