Stephen Thomas "Tom" Atwood
Stephen Thomas Atwood, 75, returned home to his Heavenly Father surrounded by his family after a long hard courageous battle with heart failure.
He passed away at 1:30 AM on the early morning hours of September 13, 2016 at Utah Valley Medical Center.
He was born December 31, 1940 in Vernal Utah to Fred Wallace and Mary Ann Kendell Atwood.
Tommy grew up in Vernal, Utah on a small farm in Davis or as many know it as "Frog Town".
He attended Naples Elementary, Vernal Jr. High School and Uintah High School.
Tommy married Sharon Gardiner on July 13, 1962 in Vernal, Utah and together, they had 3 children: Lynn, Danette and Jody. Their marriage was sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple on May 12, 1970.
Tommy started his career early in life as a roustabout in the oil fields surrounding Vernal and Rangely, CO. While working in the oil fields he was an equipment operator and eventually had an opportunity to become an industrial mechanic where he worked for many years.
He worked for M.E. Salty Oaks Construction, D. E. Cassada, Flint Engineering, Industrial Mechanics Inc. Pamco and Mountain West Oil Field Service. He also worked on the side doing many things such as painting oil field tanks, selling fire wood, farming, ranching for his brother Alvie, ranching for Woody B. Searle and in later years for Dave Jolley until his health would no longer allow it.
Tommy loved to hunt, camp and fish, but most importantly, spending time with his family & friends. He spent many hours helping those in need, making sure people around him were taken care of rather it be in food, fire wood, snow removal, gardening, building something for them or just visiting.
He loved working with wood and metal and could make just about anything he set his mind on, although it may not be engineered, he would dream about it or ponder it until he had come up with a way building it his way.
Tommy planted and raised a large garden every year, making sure his family as well as others would be taken care of for the winter.
He was a member of the LDS church and held many positions including a temple worker in the Vernal, Utah Temple.
Tom is survived by his wife Sharon of Vernal; children: Lynn Atwood (Becky Rewis) of Lindon Ut, Danette (Carlos) Graham of Vernal and Jody Atwood of Vernal; along with 9 grandkids: Kisha Nielson, Brittney (Tyler) Dunyan, Cody Mayhew, Aaron & Andrew Shiozaki, JJ Atwood, Savannah Atwood and Brock Atwood and one great grandson, Chasetin Nielson.
Also survived by brothers: Tod (Cheryle) Atwood, Mac (Kay) Atwood & Farley Atwood of Vernal and Sisters: Ioan Robins, Tx, Kathy (Jim) Harper, Vernal Ut, Dela (Bob) Arnold, Roosevelt Ut. Sisters in Law, Helen Atwood (Steve Serna) Vernal/St.George Ut., Leola Atwood, Vernal, Lenis Atwood, Vernal, and Carol Atwood, Vernal.
Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Mary; brothers: Delmar, Alvie, Ruben, Ronald, Dewey, Freddie, and Eldon; sister Dorothy Oaks; brothers-in-law Shorty Robins and Owen Lee Oaks; sister-in-law Fran Atwood.
Funeral services will be Monday, September 19th, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the Davis 4th Ward LDS Chapel. (3990 South 1500 East Vernal Ut.) A viewing will be held Sunday evening from 6-8 PM at the Ashley Valley Funeral Home and Monday 9:45 - 10:45 AM at the Chapel. Interment will be in the Vernal Memorial Park located at 1700 South 500 East Vernal Ut. Services are under the direction of the Ashley Valley Funeral Home.
