Thomas H. Shofner Jr.

Thomas “Tommy” H. Shofner Jr. went home to be with our Lord and Savior on January 17, 2022 at the age of 79. Tommy was born in Aztec, New Mexico on April 3, 1942. There he lived with his grandparents, James and Hattie Henderson, and mother, Della Eva, while his dad, Thomas H. Sr., served in World War II. When his dad got back from the war, they moved to Gallup, New Mexico where his sister, Dorothy Ann, was born. He met the love of his life, Mary Ellen, in high school and they were blessed with 62 years of marriage. Tommy and Mary Ellen have two sons, Thomas “Tom” H. Shofner III and Lawrence “Larry” K. Shofner. Tom and his wife, Rhonda, blessed Tommy and Mary Ellen with 3 granddaughters; Kimberlie, Bethanie, and Abigail. Larry also blessed Tommy and Mary Ellen with a beautiful wife, Cheryl, who went to her heavenly home in 2015 due to a long illness. Tommy was a fiercely loving and devoted husband, father, brother, and grandpa. Of all of his achievements, his family was his greatest and the one he was most proud of. Tommy worked for El Paso Natural Gas for 36 years. He began as a machinist, then a welder on the pipeline, and eventually became a senior pipeline construction manager at the time of his retirement. His dedication to excellence in his work was obvious by his leadership and determination to get every job done right. His hobbies were fishing and hunting but his biggest passion was for his horses and team roping. He started his boys roping in Jr. High and High School and continued his love for the sport. He had a special place in his heart for each of his granddaughters and passed on his passion for horses and roping to his two youngest, while his love of all animals is now shared by his oldest granddaughter. Although Tommy may have seemed to have a gritty and tough exterior, inside was a heart of gold, especially when it came to his granddaughters. Tommy was a man of great character and moral strength. He was a man of his word who stood strong in his convictions and wasn't shy when letting others know about them. He was never afraid to stand up for his beliefs, or for those he loved. He believed in loyalty and integrity and was a great judge of character. He had a keen ability to see the potential in others and often made it his mission to mold and develop that potential, even if it required brutal honesty to make one's potential become reality. His friendships were strong and true and they endured throughout the years. He personally and deeply loved his Lord and he loved his Country, as it was, the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” He was truly one of a kind and he will, indeed, be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Shofner requests a charitable donation be made to your favorite charity in memory of "Mr. Thomas Herbert Shofner Jr. ". To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Thomas H. Shofner Jr. please visit our Sympathy Store.