Thomas Allison Bragg

Thomas Allison Bragg, age 76, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on February 9, 2024, at Northwest Medical Center in Tucson.

Tom was born on August 17, 1947, in Meade, Kansas, to Joseph and Natalie Bragg, the 4th of 6 children. Mom always talked about the day she brought him home from the hospital. She went into the kitchen, and upon returning to the bedroom, she found he had turned over by himself. This strength proved to be a factor in his future accomplishments.

When Tom was 5, Mom purchased a cowboy shirt with hats and ropes on it. He insisted on wearing it every day and threw a fit when she had to wash it. Soon after came a double gun holster set complete with caps. He galloped around the yard on his stick horse, wildly shooting the cap guns. He always said he was born a century too late.

The Bragg family purchased a 10 section ranch outside Limon, Colorado and moved to Limon in 1956. In helping Dad on the ranch, Tom’s interest was spurred to become a cattleman in later years.

When he was 9, Tom asked Mom for a pogo stick for Christmas. He practiced daily on the sidewalk in front of the house. By Homecoming, the parade lined up at the high school, and Tom lined up and jumped along side of the band as they played all the way downtown. Later, as a teenager, he excelled at riding a unicycle.

In high school, he played solo trombone in the band all 4 years. He produced a beautiful tone complete with vibrato which led him to make All-State Band as a junior. He was also a member of the Show Choir which performed at the Eastern Music Teachers Convention in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor Hotel.

Tom lettered 4 years in football as a running back. In track and field, he threw the shot put and discus. As a junior, he set a state record for throwing the shot put 54.1 feet, a record that still stands today. Tom was entered in Limon High School’s Hall of Fame in 2008.

Mother had purchased a set of bar bells to help strengthen his muscles. The weights remained by his bed and no one was allowed to touch them.

In 1965, as a senior, Tom received a full scholarship to play football at the University of Colorado. During his first year at CU, he went to Denver to visit his sister, Barbara. She was shocked to see his face all beat up with scratches and scabs. Although he also lettered in shot put and discus his freshman year, he decided his brain was worth more than getting beat up in football. He transferred to the CU Extension in Denver, where he graduated in 1969 with a degree in finance.

In the 6th grade, Tom met a girl across the alley from our house in Limon. Her name was Tracy Patterson. Tracy would visit her grandmother every summer from Akron, Ohio and she and Tom would date. They went their separate ways in college but later bumped into each other on the streets of Denver. They were married in 1969, settling in Longmont, Colorado. They had 2 boys and had known each other for 60 years until Tracy’s passing in 2003.

After moving to Longmont, Tom purchased a Goodyear Tire franchise. He was so successful that when Goodyear had stores that were struggling, the company handed the stores over to Tom until they became successful again.

Tom’s interest from childhood was still in purchasing land to raise cattle. In the early 1980’s, he purchased The Bay State Ranch near Mitchell, Nebraska. He moved there with Tracy and their 2 sons, Al and Jake. He also purchased a ranch near the Snowy Mountain Range west of Laramie, Wyoming. He ran over 2000 head of cattle and sold them to Montfort Packing Plant in Greeley. He was a dynamic person involved in many endeavors throughout his life.

Tom was very generous to many people which brings to mind an encounter of a man he called ‘Ol Red’. While driving across his ranch one day, Tom came across an old, dilapidated trailer. He stopped to see if anyone lived there and an elderly man opened the door. From then on, Tom brought him sacks of groceries and a bottle of liquor. They became fast friends. After ‘Ol Red’ passed, someone painted a portrait of the old cowboy and later gave it to Tom. The portrait remained on an easel in his family room.

Until the day he died, Tom loved old westerns and cowboy movies and of course, football games, the love of his life.

Tom is survived by his son, Al Bragg and granddaughter, Natalie Bragg, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, granddaughter, Avery of Madison, Wisconsin, and grandson, Augustus Bragg of Sheridan, Wyoming. Also surviving is his youngest son, Jacob P. Bragg, wife Misty, grandson Maddox Bragg and granddaughter Emery Bragg, all of Sheridan, Wyoming. Surviving siblings are brother James H. Bragg of Bowman, North Dakota, sister Barbara F. Bragg of Topeka, Kansas, sister Cynthia A. Sherman (Gary) of Omaha, Nebraska, and sister Marcia Bragg Weygant (Bob) of Dayton, Ohio. Deceased brother Joedy’s wife, Pam Bragg and family, all of Beach, North Dakota and multiple cherished nieces and nephews are all remaining surviving family members.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Tracy, his mother and father, Natalie and Joseph Bragg, and brother, Joseph Bragg, Jr. (Joedy).

Remembrances may be sent to his sister, Barbara Bragg, 1204 SW Webster Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66604

Fondly written by Barbara Bragg.