Thomas Wayne Gillock

It is with deep sadness; that we announce the passing of Thomas Wayne Gillock. On December 23, 2023, Tom passed peacefully, at the age of 76, with his wife and friends present.  Tom was born on January 31, 1947, in Winfield, Kansas, the only child of Thomas C. and Ruth E Gillock. He was raised in Arkansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Arkansas City High School, Class of 1965.  Tom worked for the Santa Fe Railroad before enlisting in the U.S. Navy.  He received an honorable medical discharge at the end of his boot camp training due to a back injury he received while working for the Santa Fe railroad.  Returning to Ark City, Kansas, he enrolled at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, to further his education, with a major in print technology.  After moving to Ponca City, Oklahoma, and working in the computer department for CONOCO, Tom found his true passion in law enforcement.  He completed basic police training and became CLEET Certified (Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training), then joined the Ponca City Police Department.  It was here that he met the love of his life, Joy L. Leuthard, while she was implementing a special grant project at the police department. Tom left the department after nearly six years and opened his own businesses in the early 1980’s.  He successfully owned and operated Gillock Wrecker Service and Gillock Paging Service until 1985 when he sold both businesses, moved to Oklahoma City and he and Joy were married.  They bought an acreage and settled in Choctaw, Oklahoma, a suburb of OKC, and remained there until his death.  They loved living close to the city, but with the feel of the country. Tom was a farm boy at heart, enjoying the outdoors on his tractor, clearing parts of their property, attending to fences, and taking care of, and riding, their horse, Boldt.  Before his retirement in 2013, Tom worked as a private investigator, then nine years in safety and security for Bridgestone/Firestone. Following that, he provided security for two local shopping malls and Mercy Hospital. Everyone liked Tom. He made many friends with the employees, customers and patients of those places he worked. He enjoyed his retirement from Mercy Hospital and looked forward to his wife’s retirement in 2018 when they could travel and relax together.  But Tom suffered a spinal cord injury in June of 2018 that left him paralyzed from the waist down.  He spent the next, nearly six years, in a motorized chair, working with physical therapists trying to regain his ability to walk.  In November 2023 Tom incurred a ruptured appendix.  The infection was too extensive, and his body could not fight any longer.  

Tom and Joy loved to travel, especially to the Rocky Mountains.  They enjoyed music and dancing together, in their younger years. They went to many concerts over the years.  Tom was an avid fan of classic cars and throughout his life owned a 1961 Chevy, his beloved 1969 Nova, and a 1955 Chevy. As a teen and young adult he loved going to the stock car races.  He liked John Wayne movies, and police drama TV shows.  Tom Clancy was his favorite author and he read or listened to all of his books. Tom and Joy were avid Denver Bronco fans and loved watching games.  They were equally enthusiastic OSU Cowboy fans.  Tom was kind, easy-going, and loved to tease and play jokes on others. He loved animals and together he and Joy had several cats and dogs, and their horse, Boldt.  Tom’s favorite times were often spent on his John Deere tractor, originally his dad’s.  Tom was always willing to help others and was never afraid of hard work. He loved food and chocolate was his favorite flavor, with lemon a close second. He was a loving husband, son, nephew and cousin and a very good friend to many. 

Tom is survived by his wife, Joy, of the home, and several close cousins including Theresa Waite and her husband Dwaine, of Winfield, KS; Susan Tollefson of Frisco, TX; Mary Kay Corser and her husband Van, of Ulysses, KS; Sharon Smith, of Ashville, NC; Pauline Bower and her husband, Doyle, of Long Beach, CA; Joy Pankey and her husband Jim, of Savannah, GA; cousin by marriage, Don Ratslaff of Fullerton, CA; several nieces and nephews: Genny (Leuthard) Hubert and her husband, Tracy, and daughter, Zoey, of Coon Rapids, MN; Alayne (Leuthard) Telthoester, of Shakopee, MN; Johnny Leuthard, of Del Ray Beach, FL; and Scott Cummings and his wife, Shannon, of Gillette, WY, as well as many second cousins and dear friends.  Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his Aunt Edith Groene, of Winfield KS; several other aunts and uncles; his cousin, Carolyn Ratslaff, of Fullerton, CA; his cousin by marriage, Dan Tollefson, of Aledo, TX; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Judy A. and Ernie L. Cummings, of Gillette, WY; and his ex-wife, Jacque Holman, of Blackwell, OK.

Tom’s ashes were spread in March on the Ark City farm that was owned by the Gillock family for 101 years.  He loved that land, and his wishes were to be laid to rest with his father’s ashes.