Thomas Burton Gossard

Thomas Burton Gossard, son of the late Samuel and Elva (Thompson) Gossard, was born on March 18, 1920 in Opal, South Dakota, in a sod hut, and entered the gates of Heaven on May 29, 2013 while in the Phelps County Regional Hospital in Rolla, Missouri, following an extended illness after breaking his hip. He was 93 years, 2 months and 11 days of age.
At a young age, Thomas, along with his family moved to Willow Springs, Missouri. He was united in marriage to Georgia Pruitt on June 14, 1941 in San Diego, California. They made their home in Willow Springs and later moved to the Mtn. Grove area, where they resided for over forty-nine years. Thomas moved to Salem, Missouri and later to St. James, where he lived in the Missouri Veterans Home.
Thomas served his country in the United States Army during World War II and was honorably discharged in November of 1945. He was employed as a part-time road grader for Sleepy Miller in Mtn. Grove and he also worked for Robert Bailey until 1958. He then came to Mtn. Grove where he worked for the Highway Department as a mechanic until 1968. He quit his job with the highway department and purchased a new Ford Truck and leased it to King Van Lines. He and Georgia traveled across the United States from coast to coast. Trucking was Tom’s greatest passion in life. He also liked rebuilding tractors and restoring and working on Volkswagens.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife: Georgia “GiGi” Flora Gossard on June 23, 2006; one brother: Ralph Gossard, who passed away during World War II; two sisters: Alice (Gossard) Johnson and Elsie Gossard; and by his son-in-law: Gary Gourley.
Thomas is survived by his two daughters: Patricia “Patti” Brown and her husband, Ivel, of Salem, Missouri, and Phyllis Gourley of Mtn. Grove; one brother: Bob Gossard and his wife, Helen, of Willow Springs, Missouri; one sister: Dorpha Evans of Missouri; three grandchildren: Angela Bradshaw, Carl Brown and Roy Brown; eight great-grandchildren: Anthony, Jake, Joshua, Hannah, Cody, Austin, Shiann, and Elizabeth; one great-great-grandchild: Brooklyn; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Thomas was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and neighbor.
His memory will live on in our hearts forever.