"I want to be know as one of the Cowboys, not just another Cowboy's wife"

Friday, February 10, 2012

Tom.....

Many of us have a place we call  'Home'..... or a 'Home away for Home'.  We have a home, no matter how far away in the miles...we are never far away from in our hearts. Chris and I have only been married 10 years, but about 8 of the 10 years we have lived around the Pawhuska area.... got married on a ranch there, had kids around there, grew as a couple there, started our own cow herd there, and most importantly raised our children on some of the best ranches there. Although we are an hour away, it just seems right to still call it our 'home'.

This week we will take our children back home with us and expose them to a new memory in life.  A funeral. As parents we have decided in the past that they were not quite old enough to understand the reason or the meaning of a funeral, but we now feel in our hearts it is time to teach them how to show respect for someone that was very important in their childhood.


Tom and His wife Genni (Genni and Carlee were just best of buds)

Tom Drummond is someone that our family will never forget. His gravel voice mixed with his soft heart always had the kids second guessing whether they were in the wrong or in the right...

I always remembered people talking about Tom and how hard he was to get along with... With that in mind the first day I went to day work with Chris over there I was just alittle nervous. Without alot to say (ya, can you imagine that) I found myself a job counting cattle off the scale all day long, with Tom over seeing me from the scale house. Before I knew it he was asking about the kids and life in general..... That day Tom made a joke towards me and with out thinking I dished it right back to him, from there on out we had alot of fun. Chris often said people just didn't know how to take him.

Chris learned alot while working for Tom, most importantly he learned how to stand up for himself and his ideas all while respecting his boss. They didn't always see eye to eye, but not everybody does. Over time Tom gained a world of respect or Chris, as Chris did the same for him. Almost everyday Chris went to work he had one if not both of the kids (at this time I worked part time in town). For some reason or the other if the kids were not with us..... Tom was the first to ask where they were. There never was a question when it was work time or family time, Tom believed the little ones needed to be out there learning how to work. Our kids learned many lessons on his ranch and will have memories and stories to remember for the rest of their lives.

He wasn't just a boss.... not sure how to explain it, but he was there for Chris to grow. Not sure if it was on purpose or not but he was there to teach, help make mistakes, help on how to run an outfit............And I wont ever forget the day he sat us down to lend advise on our own first big cattle deal. That day he told us he was proud of us! That meant the world to two young scared kids that were fixing to drop their entire life savings into a load of cattle.... He checked on the deal all summer long, up until the day we sold the cattle.
Tom at the Finals with many of our friends and family
We rodeod really hard for 2 years under the name Sweetwater Cattle Company and Tom Drummond Ranches, we did this with pride at every rodeo... not just the big ones, but them all. Tom made the trip to Amarillo the year they guys won the WRCA World Championship, he set proud in the grand stands as our guys cleaned house and set arena records. He left Sunday afternoon before they announced the winners, but I promise you he was on the phone with in minutes to tell Chris how proud he was of them and Good Job. He hosted a Christmas/Congrats party shortly after we all got back. It was a great time with good friends and day workers of the ranch!


Chris and the crew at the party!
 We have now moved on in life, and so has Tom.... He is someone that will never be forgotten and we will always be thankful to him for letting us start the foundation of our lives and our children's lives on his ranch. Our kids will always remember that gruffy voice, all the hot diet coke, and donuts!









5 comments:

  1. I cried thru most of this post. Very good that year in Amarillo we sat with the TOm Drummond Ranch crew and Tom was so incredibly proud. Last night Brad said with big ol crocodile tears...All the Drummonds I worked for are gone now. Most of my life I have worked and helped Tom and Les and now they are both gone. Both Great men and I can only imagine what they are bickering about in heaven this morning! Rip Tom you will be hugely missed.

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    1. Yes Kenz, we have so many stories and memories from Tom's with all the crew and dayworkers..... many of which are just like you all and are who we consider family!! Not very many ranches and their workers have that close bond.... The day Brad saw his best friend's life flash in front of him when Chris was being drug by a horse.... Or the time at Kyler's and we have a wreck, my horse jumped... i went under the saddle and some how ended back on top before he ever landed... man I could go on and on!!! Everything happens for a reason, Tom and Chris spliting ways was only Gods plan for us to have this deal us there and for Tom to prepair his family for his death... Reasons are hard to see or find at the time, but it all shows in the end!!! Tom, maybe gone... but the friends like you all and Earl will be there forever!!

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  2. I'm still the new guy as far as day workers go in Osage county, but a lot of my daywork has come from Tom and while I'm reading this, it brings back several of my personal memories over the course of this past year. I feel honored for the opprotunities Tom gave me to learn and for taking in to account that I'm no top hand and calling me back despite my many well intentioned mistakes. Thank you very much for sharing.

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    1. Casey, Im so glad you enjoyed it. Chris had a great respect for Tom... Although in the end they went their sperate ways.... it wasnt on bad terms or anything. That is a fine example of Gods work.. he was showing us the way to this place and was letting Tom prepair his family for his death. Chris had pretty much ran the Quimby for 3 years, this was a learning step in Chris' life to prepair him or this deal up here ( which he has to take full care of). Our kids spent 3 years of their lives there, and loved Tom.... but most importantly they learned from him... :) Thanks so much for your comment.... I didnt figure anyone would read this, let alone enjoy it!!

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    2. Amy, that was a very well said story about ya'lls relationship with Tom. I remember the first time Tim sent me over to help Tom and Fred A. I had been with Chuck for about 45 days straight and had the drummond trot down purty good and when I got over to Tom's he kept having to tell me to slow down, that they did'nt get in that kind of a rush on the south side of 60. I worked there almost 10 years and made alot of friends there and I'm glad to say Tom was one of them and I always enjoyed going and helping Tom and Fred A.

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