We regret to inform you of the passing of our classmate Tom Gisler, on Dec. 2, 2020. Our thanks to Andrew Petersen and Steve Tofft who let us know. We send our sincere condolences to all his family and many friends. He will be missed.
I was very sad to learn of the passing of Tom. Tom and I were best friends in high school and continued to be good friends until a couple of years ago. We use to enjoy hunting jack rabbits around the Deep Water Channel, chasing Rainbow Girls during their annual convention, and giving the great football player, Al Tiedeman, a bad time for all the hits to his head that he endured.While in high school, Tom was very entrepreneurial, working almost full time at Inderkum Diary, buying and selling stocks and following the residential real estate market.
After high school, and while attending California State University Sacramento, he purchased his first income property. During his time at Sac State he join the 32nd US Air Force Reserve Unit at McClellan Air force Base. After graduation and his marriage, Tom was employed by the Dupont Corporation in their Painting Products Division, where he eventually found himself transferred to Boulder, Colorado.Tom was Best Man in my wedding.
Even after moving to Boulder, we spent time together chasing elk around the Rocky Mountains and hunting ducks in the Sacramento Valley and deer in the Sierras. He had a very good sense of humor, once setting out a deer decoy the evening before a hunt and trying to get me to shoot it in the morning. When his first marriage ended in divorce, Tom returned to Sacramento.
Tom was an extremely generous person. Just ask any of the original members of our poker group who included Al Ortiz, Andy Peterson, Ronnie Ellison(now deceased), Al Tiedeman, Tony Lobay, Gary Moulton (C K McClatchy) and myself. Tom was always willing to enrich us and other class mates who found the time to attend on an infrequest basis. Tom was always willing to give up some dollars as he found much enjoyment from the camaraderie. Aditionally we could always count on Tom to show us a couple of new lessons in such as how to make twice baked potatoes and setting carpets on fire.
After his second marriage,Tom and his wife enjoyed the development of a mountain cabin, west of Willows in the Costal Range.He set up a lumber mill, created a trout pond where he planted trout, had dreams of becoming a professional bear hunting guide and enjoyed the mountain environment. Unfortunately, Tom began to develop some mental issues that threatened his marriage and friendships of many years.
Just like our current political situation, Tom's closest friends have found themselves similarly divided. There is one area where I think that we can find common ground. Dealing with friends or family that have mental issues is very difficult. Our government, since the Ronald Regan Presidency, has not been much help in dealing with issues of this type. Tom's family and friends could not find a way to give him the support needed. Our government could also not manufacture the help needed. In the end, we lost a caring, humorous, generous, friend, father, grandfather, and husband earlier than we should have. I am sorry Tom that we and society let you down. Rest in peace my friend.
Steve Tofft
I was very sad to learn of the passing of Tom. Tom and I were best friends in high school and continued to be good friends until a couple of years ago. We use to enjoy hunting jack rabbits around the Deep Water Channel, chasing Rainbow Girls during their annual convention, and giving the great football player, Al Tiedeman, a bad time for all the hits to his head that he endured.While in high school, Tom was very entrepreneurial, working almost full time at Inderkum Diary, buying and selling stocks and following the residential real estate market.
After high school, and while attending California State University Sacramento, he purchased his first income property. During his time at Sac State he join the 32nd US Air Force Reserve Unit at McClellan Air force Base. After graduation and his marriage, Tom was employed by the Dupont Corporation in their Painting Products Division, where he eventually found himself transferred to Boulder, Colorado.Tom was Best Man in my wedding.
Steve Tofft
Even after moving to Boulder, we spent time together chasing elk around the Rocky Mountains and hunting ducks in the Sacramento Valley and deer in the Sierras. He had a very good sense of humor, once setting out a deer decoy the evening before a hunt and trying to get me to shoot it in the morning. When his first marriage ended in divorce, Tom returned to Sacramento.
Tom was an extremely generous person. Just ask any of the original members of our poker group who included Al Ortiz, Andy Peterson, Ronnie Ellison(now deceased), Al Tiedeman, Tony Lobay, Gary Moulton (C K McClatchy) and myself. Tom was always willing to enrich us and other class mates who found the time to attend on an infrequest basis. Tom was always willing to give up some dollars as he found much enjoyment from the camaraderie. Aditionally we could always count on Tom to show us a couple of new lessons in such as how to make twice baked potatoes and setting carpets on fire.
After his second marriage,Tom and his wife enjoyed the development of a mountain cabin, west of Willows in the Costal Range.He set up a lumber mill, created a trout pond where he planted trout, had dreams of becoming a professional bear hunting guide and enjoyed the mountain environment. Unfortunately, Tom began to develop some mental issues that threatened his marriage and friendships of many years.
Steve Tofft
Just like our current political situation, Tom's closest friends have found themselves similarly divided. There is one area where I think that we can find common ground. Dealing with friends or family that have mental issues is very difficult. Our government, since the Ronald Regan Presidency, has not been much help in dealing with issues of this type. Tom's family and friends could not find a way to give him the support needed. Our government could also not manufacture the help needed. In the end, we lost a caring, humorous, generous, friend, father, grandfather, and husband earlier than we should have. I am sorry Tom that we and society let you down. Rest in peace my friend.