Gerald Thomas Jarrard

Gerald Thomas “Tom” Jarrard, beloved father, grandfather, brother, and true Wyoming cowboy, passed away on April 27, 2025, in Congress, Arizona, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 79 years old.

Born on May 26, 1945, in Sheridan, Wyoming, Tom grew up riding horses and working cattle on his family’s ranch long before he was old enough for school. A lifelong rancher, horseman, and cowboy, he spent seven decades living the values of hard work, honesty, grit, and loyalty. His legacy was built through commitment, discipline, and hard work, and also through the friendships and deep respect he earned along the way.

Throughout his lifetime, Tom owned and managed numerous ranches and farms across Wyoming, building each with care and leaving them better than he found them. He remained active in ranching well into his later years, embodying the spirit of the West every step of the way. In the final years of his life, in addition to maintaining his place in Wyoming, Tom took great pride in the home and roping arena he built in Congress, Arizona, where he welcomed friends from near and far to visit and rope.

Tom’s journey took him from the ranches of Wyoming to the vast Outback of Australia, and later across the American West, South America, the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, Canada, and beyond, as he worked with cattle, trained horses, and contributed to Marlboro advertising campaigns. He was a proud member of the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) and found adventure and opportunity in every chapter of his life.  He was a member of the Casper College Rodeo Team that won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s National Championship in 1965. In 2020, Tom was honored with induction into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to a man whose life epitomized the true cowboy spirit. 

Tom was known not only for his skill and hard work, but for his magnetic personality. He had a gift for making friends wherever he went, and he treasured those friendships deeply. His infectious and distinctive laugh often echoed through social gatherings, branding pens, and arenas where he shared his colorful stories. His tales of adventure, humor, and wisdom were legendary, leaving everyone a little richer for having heard them.

Tom’s first marriage to Edna Irvine resulted in four children. His second marriage was to Linda Sanford.

Tom is survived by his children, Sally Jo Noyce (Dane), Vicki Blomquist (Bud), Mary Kay Jarrard, and TJ Jarrard (Amy); his stepdaughters, Tammy Trollinger (Clay) and Nancy Irvine; his siblings, Sonny Jarrard (Sue), Roy Jarrard, Murph Jarrard, and Tami Jarrard (Neil Johnston); and his grandchildren, Danae McPherson (Milo), Aspen Henrie, Lexi Weber, Tommy Weber, Tatum Berry (Jeff), Jade Holbrook (Flint), Kristan Kenyon, Tyrel Kenyon, TR Jarrard, Tel Jarrard, Aften Fegler, Mason Trollinger, Keeton Zancanella, and Rhyann LaRose. He was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Jarrard and Katherine Newton, his brother Dick Jarrard, and his sisters Lindsay and Madeline Jarrard.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held May 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Harness Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo, Wyoming.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Mayo Clinic or the Hoofprints From the Past Museum in Kaycee, Wyoming, at 344 Nolan Avenue, honoring Tom’s lifelong commitment to preserving the spirit and traditions of the cowboy way of life.“He rode tall, loved deeply, laughed freely, and lived truly. Now he rides the high pastures, where every day is spring and every ride is easy.