Thomas Alex Tomlinson was born November 22, 1937, in Benedict North Dakota to Roy and Mary (Spelevoy) Tomlinson. He was the 6th child out of 10. He attended school in Benedict and Garrison, ND until the 9th grade. In 1957 he joined the US Army. He and Gweneth (Sullivan) Tomlinson were married in January of 1960. Tom began his career working on the railroad but soon found out that wasn't for him. He began working as a Lineman building High voltage Transmission Power Lines in 1961. While working in an aerial boom truck he was seriously injured when the boom collapsed. When he recovered, he decided to stay on the ground and became a mechanic. Tom, Gwen and their 3 children traveled throughout most of the western US following the Power Line company building new transmission lines. In 1982 Tom, Gwen and their daughters Teri and Kelli landed in Harlowton where they have made their home ever since.

Tom was an avid outdoorsman and loved Hunting, Fishing, Rockhounding and later in life Garage Sales. He and Gwen loved to garage sale together and made it a business. They traveled to Quartzite Arizona come January and spent 2-3 months enjoying the sunny weather and selling their yard sale treasures. Gwen would sell her jewelry, and Tom would sell his Diamond Willow walking sticks and his Obsidian Knife blades.

Tom was a very accomplished flint knapper where he would take Obsidian and turn it into a beautiful knife blade or arrowhead. He got to be proficient enough where he made his own video showing the proper steps on how to knap a raw piece of Obsidian. He would sell the video and the pre-cut slabs to anyone interested in trying their hand at flint knapping.

Come fall You wouldn't find Tom in town as he and his Old Red Bus were somewhere in the Mountains. For 30 plus years he spent from September to the end of November camped out somewhere up in the hills as he would say. He always had his door open and a pot of coffee on the stove for anyone wanting to stop and wanting to listen to a few stories. He earned the nickname "The Old-Timer" and was known by many. Around 1995 Tom was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. After surgery he began Chemo treatments. He would travel to Billings for his treatments and then drive back to the Mountains where his Old Red Bus was waiting for him to recuperate. A few years later he was diagnosed with Leukemia. He began Chemo treatments again but after a long battle the cancer won.

On July 30, 2026, Tom left on his last Fishing, Hunting, Rockhounding and Yard sale adventure.

He was preceded in death by his brother Ted, father Roy, mother Mary, brother Leroy, sister Lena, brother George and brother Fred.

He is survived by his wife Gwen of 66 years; brothers John Tomlinson of St. Paul, Nebraska, Allen Tomlinson of Benedict, North Dakota; sister Kathleen Turkowski of Philadelphia, Pennsylvanian; son Bryan (Karen Fry) Tomlinson of Harlowton, Montana; daughters Teri (Jeff ) Sell and Kelli (Kenneth) Berg both of Harlowton, Montana; 8 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

A private family Graveside Service is planned later this summer. In Lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to Cancer research organizations or a charity of their choice in memory of Tom and may be left with the Perkins Funeral Home, PO Box 313 Harlowton, MT 59036. Condolences for the family may be posted on-line at www.perkinsfuneralandcremation.com