John Thomas “Tom” Eddy

Tom was born on September 7, 1931 in London, Oregon, to Cecil and Mary H. Eddy. After a few years in Cottage Grove, the family moved to Cornucopia, Oregon where they lived in a one room cabin, and he swears he walked to school in five feet of snow uphill both ways. 

After 10 years in Cornucopia the family moved back to Cottage Grove, but Tom’s heart was always in Halfway. Years later, friends in Halfway reached out and helped him return and finish high school. Soon after he enlisted in the Marines and was stationed in Japan from 1952-1954. He loved his time spent in Halfway and cherished all of his friends that were truly like family to him. He enjoyed sharing stories from Cornucopia and Halfway which usually included cold winters, lots of snow, hard work, good people, and many fond memories.

Tom also was quite proud of his work on Brownlee Dam and Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona, which eventually led him to his lifelong career of surveying. Later, Tom moved to the Treasure Valley and spent time working at the OK Livestock and rodeoing. He soon met and married Betty Marie Brunel, they were married 55 years and raised their family in Meridian, Idaho.

Tom spent nearly 50 years as a land surveyor. He covered a lot of country in Idaho and the Northwest. You will find his signature of John T. Eddy on many land documents. Tom was a hard worker, a family man, but most of all a cowboy. He was not born into a cowboy family, but always in his heart had a love for horses and the western way of life. He would say “damn poor riding, beats damn good walking.” Any day he was on a horse or at a roping or a rodeo was a good day. Growing up he would sneak across the pasture to his neighbor’s barn and ride their horses when they came in to shade up. He went on to compete in calf roping, bull dogging, and team roping as a member of the Idaho Cowboys Association (I.C.A.) and surrounding rodeo and roping associations. He was a past president, team roping champion, and gold card member of the I.C.A. Tom continued roping into his early 80’s and truly enjoyed his winters in Arizona where he enjoyed roping in the sunshine with long- time friends and met many new friends. Tom was also inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2009.

Tom passed surrounded by his family and stated, “It’s been a good ride.”

Tom is survived by his wife Betty, son, Charles and (Lisa) Eddy, daughter, Audrey and (Marlow) Eldridge and five grandchildren; Alison, Olivia, Candida, Rieta, and Jaylen and sister Margarite Gibson and preceded in death by his parents, brother Jimmy and sister Betty Jane.  

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2:00 p.m. at The Wood Ranch, 23316 Ode Lane, Caldwell, Idaho. Lunch will be served.

In lieu of flowers a donation in Tom’s name can be made to Spurs & Spikes Crisis Fund, 3060 Market Road, Homedale, ID  83628 or a charity of your choice.