Obituary of Thomas M. Lloyd

Athol: Thomas M. Lloyd, 87, of High Street, passed away peacefully, Saturday, September 9, 2017 at Glens Falls Hospital, following a brief illness. Born March 31, 1930 in Glens Falls, he was the son of the late Wilbur and Marion (Wood) Lloyd. Tom believed that there are three kinds of people in the world, those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who have no idea what happened; he was the kind of guy who made things happen. Upon graduation from Warrensburg Central High School in 1947, Tom enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he specialized in heavy machinery and traveled extensively to San Antonio, TX, Cheyenne, WY, Sacramento, CA, and Alaska’s Adak Island. Following his military service, in 1954 he graduated from the Coyne School in Chicago, IL with a diploma in radio and television repair. In 2012, Tom was presented with a 50-year pin by the American Legion. He moved back to Warrensburg in 1957 and opened Tom’s Western Wear on Stony Creek Rd., where he sold clothing, jewelry, saddles, and riding accessories. In 1962, he joined the Local 106 Operating Engineer’s Union and helped build and maintain many of New York’s highways; his passion for roads was not strictly professional. An avid traveler, he frequently road tripped across the country and was particularly fond of the southwest. Tom was a dedicated organizer. As an active member and 10-term president of the Thurman Volunteer Fire Company, he hosted fundraisers, such as dances at Northwoods Inn, potluck dinners, auctions, and barbecues that raised thousands of dollars that went toward ensuring the safety of Thurman residents and their firefighters. In 1980 he founded the Old Tyme Fiddlers’ Roundup at Toad Hill, this annual event attracted musicians and dancers from all over the country and continued well into the 2000’s. An avid musician since his teenage years, Tom often sat in with the Thurman Historical Society’s Adirondack Fiddlers Jamboree, calling upon the guitar and piano chops he picked up in the 1950’s as a member of bands such as Mitch Abood & Rusty Rubes and the Magee Ranch Hands. Tom was perhaps best known for his love of calling local square dances. He became enchanted with dance calling after watching his grandfather fiddle with a guitar and piano player on the platform of a truck while his neighbors and family would jig and reel along as a man called over the music. Tom also had a decade’s long admiration for the rodeo and could be found at 1,000 Acres Ranch and the Painted Pony most summer weekends, his favorite event to watch was steer roping. His other hobbies included gardening, leatherworking, bird watching, RV camping, and writing impassioned letters to the editor at The Post Star. When the blackflies weren’t too bad, he could be seen sipping cold iced tea on his front porch and waving to folks as they drove by on warm summer nights. He was quick to laugh and loved visiting with friends and family. Tom was never one to turn down a slice of pie or dessert if you were offering, he’d even often do you one better and take a slice for the road to lighten your load. Besides his parents, he is predeceased by his brother, Bob Lloyd. He is survived by his brothers, Bill Lloyd and his wife, Marie, of Diamond Point, Pete Lloyd and his wife, Ann, of Warrensburg; sister-in-law, Barbara Penning Lloyd of Warrensburg; former wife, Vicki Lloyd of Thurman; children, Gina Lloyd of Glens Falls, Felicia Orton and her husband, John, of Tampa, FL, Ray Grover and his wife, Dorothy, of Lake George; and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephew, and cousins. He also leaves behind close neighbors including Dustin Haskell of Thurman and beloved friend, George Raftery. At Tom’s request, there are no calling hours or funeral services scheduled. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations in Tom’s memory to the SPCA of Upstate New York, 588 Queensbury Ave., Queensbury, NY 12804. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guestbook and condolences.