Thomas Gould

Thomas (Tom) Gould lived life the way that he wanted a little wild and free. A lot like the grizzly bears he loved to talk about, he was a ferocious fighter, strong and tough in his battle against cancer for almost two years. Nature won in the end as he passed away surrounded by family at his home in Rogersville on May 6, 2015 at the age of 65.

Born February 26, 1950 and raised in Springfield, Mo. Tom was recognized early on in his life for his superior physical strength, athleticism and fierce determination. A talented and passionate basketball player Tom was awarded the All City Rebounding Champion while playing for St. Agnes High School in 1968. This was especially remarkable given that Tom was not an extremely tall man, being 5'10", but he made up for it with his amazing jumping ability, feverish desire to win and sharp elbows.

During his formative years Tom became enamored with stories and tales of wilderness and homestead living. He loved exploring the lakes, rivers, mountains and streams of the Ozarks. Lindenlure was a favorite swimming spot and tales are still told of Tom's ability to throw a rock from the bottom of the Linden Bridge all the way to the dam.

Not content with just stories, Tom decided to live life on a homestead of his own. Settling on the land of his mother's ancestors near Rogersville he chopped, dragged, hewed and built his own log cabin with the knowledge he learned from reading books like The Firefox Book. Tom developed a lifelong passion for building. Not just any building, but building that would stand the tests of time. He became a talented stone mason, a furniture builder, and a trendsetter in the use of salvaged architectural materials.

While all his building and remodeling projects are remarkable, the most memorable and admirable accomplishment was his devotion to his family. As a single father to two children, Katherine (Kate) Gould of San Francisco, Calif., and Paul Gould of Rogersville, Mo., he never seemed to stop working to provide for their care or needs. Not only did he work full-time at a regular 9 to 5 (Boatman's Bank, Frisco Railroad, Tasty Bread, MCI and others), but he cooked from scratch, kept a perfectly clean house, raised beef cattle, built and remodeled multiple houses and endless other building projects. In addition to all the effort and work he did for his children, he also helped numerous other relatives, especially those in their older years, to build and maintain their homes.

Tom had a legendary appetite and buffets quivered when he walked in the door and he was a fierce opponent in family pancake eating contests. He was a talented baker of yeast bread, had a sweet basketball jump shot, known for regularly rescuing damsels in distress, loved Western movies, played a mean game of Rook, only allowed his children to watch PBS when they were young, placed second in the 1958 Hula-Hoop contest at the local Dairy Queen (he firmly insisted he would have been first had his hoop not been hit by outside interference), stopped a robber with a shotgun at a grocery store in California, cared deeply for a few dogs over the years, valued the knowledge and wisdom of his elders, and was a big collector of antique chairs, wood working tools and kitchen bowls. He was kind and caring, but he was not afraid to dish out some tough love to family, friends or anyone who he thought needed some help or better direction in their life.
Tom is survived by his sister Susan DeMott of Sacramento, Calif.; brothers Tony Gould and wife Mary of Montgomery, Ala., Pat Gould of Rogersville, Matt Gould and wife Terry of Ozark, Mo.; and sister in-law Lynn Lockridge (John) of Lamar, Mo. Plus his loving girlfriend Becky Mehl; eight nieces; five nephews; great nieces and nephews; friends and numerous Ozark Mountain kin folk.

He was preceded in death by his beloved mother Virginia (Eddings) Gould; father Jack Gould; brother John Gould; great aunt Mary (Scott) Garrison; and numerous other relatives Tom enjoyed visiting and getting to know during his lifetime.

He will be remembered as a fierce, mischievous, gritty, loving and unique spirit.

A celebration of Tom's life will be held Saturday, May 16th, 2015, at 10 a.m. at Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut Street, Springfield, MO. A gathering of family and friends will be held afterwards at the family farm in Rogersville. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield.