This is a hard post...about a friend & shooter passing
- Thread starter Lou Murdica
- Start date
Gene DeLoney
New member
Another great loss to the Benchrest community. My condolences go out to Carolyn, family, and all who knew Tom.
I remember when Tom and Lou would drive in from Palm Springs CA to shoot the monthly match at the old San Gabriel Range and would bring the wives along. What fun times.
I remember when Tom and Lou would drive in from Palm Springs CA to shoot the monthly match at the old San Gabriel Range and would bring the wives along. What fun times.
What terrible news to wake up to. I have been fortunate enough to shoot with Tom a few times. We first met at the Super Shoot some years back where he helped me out and last shot together at the Cactus this year where he helped me with all the stuff I had forgotten to bring from home! Both Carolyn and he are top shelf. It is so very sad to hear. His wicked sense of humour will be truly missed by us all. Another good one gone too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Carolyn and the family. May he rest in peace.
Best wishes from the New Zealand benchrest community.
Peter Haxell
Best wishes from the New Zealand benchrest community.
Peter Haxell
steve stanley
Well-known member
Never had the pleasure of meeting Tom, but all the antics he pulled over the years he had to be a great guy. I will pray for the family for God's strength and comfort to deal with this loss.
varminthunter1
Club Coordinator
We will miss you Tom.
Our prayers go out to Carolyn and family. May he rest in peace.
We are diminished.....
Jeff
Our prayers go out to Carolyn and family. May he rest in peace.
We are diminished.....
Jeff
Rex Reneau
New member
Tom was one funny person, but on the other side he was very interesting. He used to do high end remodels of homes of some famous people. He told me he really liked Andy Williams and how good it was to work with him and how funny he was. That must have been a pair. He will be greatly missed. I ask Carolyn one time what is was like living with Tom and she said "Not boring". Pray for family.
Rex
Rex
Jack Neary
Member
Cannot Ever Remember Tom Without a Smile on His Face....
How very sad to hear this terrible, terrible news... Spoke to Tom fairly often. He had previously told me he was going to have some testing done as he was not feeling all that well...
I will miss our Clown Prince of good times at all the many matches.
Let's keep Tom and Carolyn and family in all our prayers...
Rest in peace my friend...
Jack
How very sad to hear this terrible, terrible news... Spoke to Tom fairly often. He had previously told me he was going to have some testing done as he was not feeling all that well...
I will miss our Clown Prince of good times at all the many matches.
Let's keep Tom and Carolyn and family in all our prayers...
Rest in peace my friend...
Jack
. We just lost a chunk of what makes the Sport great. May he RIP.I'm not really qualified to be in this thread composed of Tom's loving friends but I do have a Tom Libby story so I'll "share" it.
I got a phone call about 5yrs ago from the FBI regarding "stories I'd been telling on the internet about how to deal with background check refusals" and "obstruction of their searches for missing and stolen weapons"...... about how "as an 07FFL I was beholden to them" and that "I was showing disrespect for government regulations"...the dude growled on and on until I burst out laffing. I WAS actually being pestered by the FBI around that time regarding a stolen pistol, several agents had called over the course of three months leaving increasingly nasty messages and telling me that "I must" get with them posthaste regarding this matter, but this agent was hardcore......basically I was risking JAIL TIME by blabbing all over the internet (All recorded right here on BRC, the only place I've ever posted until recently)
It was Tom.
Out of the blue, never having met me he called just to rattle my cage.
Of course I was delighted.
We talked for some time about all sorts of things. I found him to be a lovely (and very bright) human being.
So Carolyn, please accept these, my condolences from a complete stranger, May God Be With You.
Your Husband left an imprint on me.
Thank You
RIP Tom
al
I got a phone call about 5yrs ago from the FBI regarding "stories I'd been telling on the internet about how to deal with background check refusals" and "obstruction of their searches for missing and stolen weapons"...... about how "as an 07FFL I was beholden to them" and that "I was showing disrespect for government regulations"...the dude growled on and on until I burst out laffing. I WAS actually being pestered by the FBI around that time regarding a stolen pistol, several agents had called over the course of three months leaving increasingly nasty messages and telling me that "I must" get with them posthaste regarding this matter, but this agent was hardcore......basically I was risking JAIL TIME by blabbing all over the internet (All recorded right here on BRC, the only place I've ever posted until recently)
It was Tom.
Out of the blue, never having met me he called just to rattle my cage.
Of course I was delighted.
We talked for some time about all sorts of things. I found him to be a lovely (and very bright) human being.
So Carolyn, please accept these, my condolences from a complete stranger, May God Be With You.
Your Husband left an imprint on me.
Thank You
RIP Tom
al
bill larson
Member
Tom Libby
Terrible News........
Tom was the life of any match he attended...... with his costumes and beautiful yellow guns... and a Skip Otto rail gun......... sorely a loss for us all........... he`s entertaining up above now.....
RIP
bill larson
Terrible News........
Tom was the life of any match he attended...... with his costumes and beautiful yellow guns... and a Skip Otto rail gun......... sorely a loss for us all........... he`s entertaining up above now.....
RIP
bill larson
WOW
Tom will be greatly missed
He was a mentor and friend to me
When I told my children what happened all I had to do was point to photo on my wall
That is how they remember Tom
To the clown Prince of Benchrest
We will not forget
I am sure others have great memories also
My deep condolences to Carolyn and her family
Dan Lutke
Tom will be greatly missed
He was a mentor and friend to me
When I told my children what happened all I had to do was point to photo on my wall
That is how they remember Tom
To the clown Prince of Benchrest
We will not forget
I am sure others have great memories also
My deep condolences to Carolyn and her family
Dan Lutke
Boyd Allen
Active member
Having expressed my initial shock, sadness and condolences in a previous post, indulge me while I relate a couple of stories about Tom.
When I first started attending benchrest matches at Visalia, it was as a spectator. Our two clubs (one near Fresno, and the Visalia club) had shared a set of bench forms (not just tops, but the entire benches) that I had been in charge of building. This took me to the Visalia range, to see the prototype bench that had replaced one on that firing line. I made the trip on a match weekend, since Lee Six (who had built a prototype form and bench) would be there shooting. Starting with that exposure, I was interested enough to attend several more, over a period of time, before I got my own PPC.
At a later match, on a Saturday morning, I arrived with earmuffs in hand and immediately noticed a large number of new sand bags, of all sorts and configurations that were displayed for sale. After looking them over for a bit, since I had only seen some of them in ads, I asked who was selling them, expecting that some vendor had brought his wares. It turned out that Tom was selling them. Rather than taking half measures, he had bought, filled and tried every bag that was available at the time, kept the one that he preferred, and was in the process of selling the rest. I am pretty sure that, given that they were all in perfect condition, and ready to go, that he got most if not all of his money back, and had solved the question of what bag was the best I thought rather splendidly. Even now, I smile as I think about it.
The other story took place many years later. It was on a Thursday or Friday, before a match at the same range, and I was sitting visiting by the loading tables, just behind the shooting benches, when Tom walked up with a target in his hand. It seems that he had been doing first firings on some of the then new Norma 6PPC brass (the stuff that has harder heads) shooting rather mild loads, well below what he would have at a match. The groups on the target were quite small, and Tom was both pleased, and surprised, given that they were at such low velocity, and really just done to put the first firings on some newly prepared cases. After we admired the groups, and discussed the load, and everyone had returned to their various tasks, it struck me that for him to have shot that series of small groups , that his form must have been virtually perfect, and so I found a spot that was far enough from the bench that he was shooting from so that he would not be distracted, and waited for his to return to his practice. It turns out that my instinct was correct, every single move that he made was exactly as it should have been, all perfectly consistent, well worth my time to study.
The point of this is that in addition to being the clown prince of benchrest, Tom could shoot, He made the US Worlds Benchrest Campionship team, and was so committed to attending the match that he took the long flight to (I believe) Australia, very shortly (three days?) after having his gall bladder removed. Having had the same procedure, I can tell you that he was tough, to have made that flight and shot that match. One of the pictures that was posted during that match was of Tom asleep at his loading table, for those that saw it, now you have the rest of the story. He had good reason to be tired.
Beyond that, he is in the record book, an exclusive club if there ever was one. As I write this, he owns two group records, the 100yd 10 shot unlimited , and the 200 yard five shot Sporter. There are a total of fifteen group records, held by 13 shooters, and he and Gary Ocock are the only ones whose own two.
There are some people that you feel lucky to have known, even a little, that leave a big hole when they are gone. Tom was one of those people.
When I first started attending benchrest matches at Visalia, it was as a spectator. Our two clubs (one near Fresno, and the Visalia club) had shared a set of bench forms (not just tops, but the entire benches) that I had been in charge of building. This took me to the Visalia range, to see the prototype bench that had replaced one on that firing line. I made the trip on a match weekend, since Lee Six (who had built a prototype form and bench) would be there shooting. Starting with that exposure, I was interested enough to attend several more, over a period of time, before I got my own PPC.
At a later match, on a Saturday morning, I arrived with earmuffs in hand and immediately noticed a large number of new sand bags, of all sorts and configurations that were displayed for sale. After looking them over for a bit, since I had only seen some of them in ads, I asked who was selling them, expecting that some vendor had brought his wares. It turned out that Tom was selling them. Rather than taking half measures, he had bought, filled and tried every bag that was available at the time, kept the one that he preferred, and was in the process of selling the rest. I am pretty sure that, given that they were all in perfect condition, and ready to go, that he got most if not all of his money back, and had solved the question of what bag was the best I thought rather splendidly. Even now, I smile as I think about it.
The other story took place many years later. It was on a Thursday or Friday, before a match at the same range, and I was sitting visiting by the loading tables, just behind the shooting benches, when Tom walked up with a target in his hand. It seems that he had been doing first firings on some of the then new Norma 6PPC brass (the stuff that has harder heads) shooting rather mild loads, well below what he would have at a match. The groups on the target were quite small, and Tom was both pleased, and surprised, given that they were at such low velocity, and really just done to put the first firings on some newly prepared cases. After we admired the groups, and discussed the load, and everyone had returned to their various tasks, it struck me that for him to have shot that series of small groups , that his form must have been virtually perfect, and so I found a spot that was far enough from the bench that he was shooting from so that he would not be distracted, and waited for his to return to his practice. It turns out that my instinct was correct, every single move that he made was exactly as it should have been, all perfectly consistent, well worth my time to study.
The point of this is that in addition to being the clown prince of benchrest, Tom could shoot, He made the US Worlds Benchrest Campionship team, and was so committed to attending the match that he took the long flight to (I believe) Australia, very shortly (three days?) after having his gall bladder removed. Having had the same procedure, I can tell you that he was tough, to have made that flight and shot that match. One of the pictures that was posted during that match was of Tom asleep at his loading table, for those that saw it, now you have the rest of the story. He had good reason to be tired.
Beyond that, he is in the record book, an exclusive club if there ever was one. As I write this, he owns two group records, the 100yd 10 shot unlimited , and the 200 yard five shot Sporter. There are a total of fifteen group records, held by 13 shooters, and he and Gary Ocock are the only ones whose own two.
There are some people that you feel lucky to have known, even a little, that leave a big hole when they are gone. Tom was one of those people.
Wayne Campbell
Member
Another huge loss to our Benchrest family.
Our prayers and condolences to Carolyn and family. Tom was truly one of the good guys in our game. He will be missed.
Wayne and Pam
Our prayers and condolences to Carolyn and family. Tom was truly one of the good guys in our game. He will be missed.
Wayne and Pam
speedygonzalez
Member
Heaven needed someone to make them laugh too!
You knew it was always going to be an exciting shoot when Tom made an appearance. I remember shooting at the Cactus and was about to reach for my loading tray when a pair of handcuffs were wrapped around my left hand, looking up there was Tom in a Border Patrol outfit asking me for my green card and saying "I thought Speedy Gonzalez was faster than that, HEHEHE!".....after seeing who it was, I explained to him there was a big mistake and it was Manny Garcia who he was looking for and off he went. I was afraid to ask Manny if Tom had got him too?
Love ya man and will miss you making all our shooting a little bit more fun,
Speedy Gonzalez
"We are diminished!"
You knew it was always going to be an exciting shoot when Tom made an appearance. I remember shooting at the Cactus and was about to reach for my loading tray when a pair of handcuffs were wrapped around my left hand, looking up there was Tom in a Border Patrol outfit asking me for my green card and saying "I thought Speedy Gonzalez was faster than that, HEHEHE!".....after seeing who it was, I explained to him there was a big mistake and it was Manny Garcia who he was looking for and off he went. I was afraid to ask Manny if Tom had got him too?
Love ya man and will miss you making all our shooting a little bit more fun,
Speedy Gonzalez
"We are diminished!"
gabe ledesma
Member
It truly saddenes me to hear of toms passing. He was a good friend and will be missed by many. Rest In Peace my friend. My condolences to carolyn and family
W
