Tom A. Spehar

Tom was born to Jacob and Helen Spehar at St. Mary's Hospital December 10, 1954. He retired after a successful career as a financial advisor, first in Denver and then Grand Junction. He managed the local office of B.C. Christopher & Co. in the mid-1980s before moving to A.G. Edwards in 1988 and continued when that firm transitioned to Wells Fargo Advisors in 2009 until his retirement as Vice President - Investment Officer in November 2019.

As accomplished as Tom was in his career pursuits, his pride and joy was his daughter, Kelley Marie. He would appear frequently at the door of Kelley and her fiance, Tyler Steffens, carrying dinner, an action Kelley knew was less about food than spending time with his new grandson, River. The greatest tribute to his skills as a father is the strong and loving relationship between Tom and Kelley and the strength she is demonstrating in this difficult time. A great tragedy is that Tom will miss Kelley and Tyler's wedding in Crested Butte in July.

With apologies to his many satisfied clients and his equally professional co-workers, Tom was an avid outdoorsman and accomplished musician who moonlighted in finance to support his other avocations. He enjoyed exercising his restored museum-quality old Tucker Sno-Cat, hunting with his brothers and nephews and their families and was never happier than when Kelley guided him to hooking his first salmon and steelhead trout on Kodiak Island in Alaska, where she and Tyler were employed as fishing guides.

A faithful adherent to the tongue-in-cheek family motto that "Some is good, more is better and too much is just about right!" Tom's collection of guitars, guns and outdoor gear would not be surpassed by many. A recent joy was smoking any kind of meat, fish or fowl in the super sized smoker he and Tyler built in his oversized shop, an event that lately sent appetizing aromas throughout his Redlands neighborhood.

Tom's musical journey began when he left Colorado State University to follow in the footsteps of his brothers, Gerry and George. With the Spehar Brothers Band, the Desperados and other Denver-based groups, he toured Colorado and surrounding states for a decade. Those travels occurred in conveyances ranging from a clapped out old El Camino borrowed from his brother, Jim, a stripped-out bus, his classic old Lincoln with suicide doors, a modern "band van" and even a private jet. He was as much at home as a regular at the local "Blues Night" or at bluegrass jams as he was in his ZZ Top tribute band and backing up his good friends, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band legends John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson.

Tom is survived by his daughter, Kelley, and her fiance, Tyler Steffens, their son, River, and the world's most pampered cat, Layla. He is also survived by sister, Marianne Mercado; brothers, Jim, of Grand Junction, and Gerry, of Pasadena, CA; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Spehar of Grand Junction, Susan Spehar, of New York, NY, and Margie Spehar, of Grand Junction, as well as cousins, Sheri Ochoa, of Littleton, CO, and Marvin Kapushion, of Whitewater. He will be missed by numerous nephews and nieces and their families. His mother and father, brothers, George and Tim, and another sister-in-law, Susan, preceded him in death.