Thomas C. Schall

SAHUARITA, Arizona—Thomas C. Schall passed away at his home in Sahuarita, Arizona, on Monday, October 20, 2025.

He is survived by his daughters Christina (Christopher) Harmon of Sahuarita; Karisha Schall (Granville Lloyd) of Denver; son Anthony (Crystal) Bradley of Phoenix, grandchildren Beau and Rosie Bradley; brother Dan (Shelly) Schall of Ogden, Iowa, his daughters Amanda (Jeremy) Nye of Altoona, Iowa, and Megan (Tim) Duncan of Montour, Iowa; sister Cathy Phillips of Omaha, her step-children Vince (Ann) Phillips, Onawa, Iowa and Michelle (Steve) Jurek of Omaha; and by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Josephine (Flannery) Schall, and brother-in-law Jerry Phillips.

Tom was born on April 5, 1949, in Boone, Iowa, and grew up on the family farm near Ogden. He graduated from Ogden High School in 1967 and attended Boone Junior College before entering the U.S. Air Force, where he served from 1968 to 1972. He fought in combat in Vietnam and earned the rank of Sergeant.

After returning home, Tom farmed and worked for Rolfes Manufacturing in Boone and Northern Natural Gas Company in Ogden before moving to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. There, he worked in several capacities — with The Industrial Company (TIC), as a taxi driver, in road construction, as a chimney sweep, and as a horse-drawn sleigh driver at Mount Werner Steamboat Ski Resort — before joining Twenty Mile Coal Company. He later moved to the copper mines of Green Valley, Arizona, stating, “You don’t have to shovel sunshine.” He retired after 21 years at Freeport-McMoRan’s Sierrita Copper Mine. After retirement, he worked in security at La Posada for several years.

Tom enjoyed fishing and hunting and was an avid horseman, beginning as a boy with his horses Stormy, Star, Honky Tonk, and Smoke. Riding and roping brought him great joy throughout his life, as did teaching his girls how to “saddle up.” He also loved riding his Harley-Davidson, often with his daughter Christina along for the ride. Alongside his family, Tom’s faithful dogs were always close by.

Tom also had an incredible sense of humor — always quick with a one-liner or a witty quip. When boys came by the house to pick up his daughters, he’d invite them in and sit them down at the coffee table, where an antique six-shooter rested between them. With a grin and a steady gaze, he made sure they understood just how much he loved his little girls.

Whether in the Iowa plains, the Colorado mountains, or the Arizona deserts, Tom loved nature. From skydiving and building his log home in Colorado to rattlesnake hunting and a solo horseback ride from the border, he was always drawn to adventure.

A lifelong Catholic, Tom was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church.

A Memorial Mass will be said at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona, with internment at a later date at Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery, Ogden, Iowa.