ENID, Okla. — July 19, 1931-March 15, 2013

Tommy Kiser, 81, beloved father, grandfather, flirt and friend, passed away on Friday, March 15, 2013, in Enid, Okla.

Tommy, a recent resident of Jet, Okla., and longtime Farmington area resident will be remembered for his quick wit, lifelong friendships, wonderful sense of humor and his love for life.

He loved the outdoors. He was an avid hunter, hunting the grassy meadows of Southern Colorado, the Northern New Mexico canyons and forests, as well as the oak fringed wheat fields of Northeastern Oklahoma. Many a buck deer and stag elk gave up its life to the pinpoint accuracy of his 30-06 and his brown eagle eye, his other eye was blue.

Tommy was an accomplished fisherman snagging salmon at Lake Navajo, catfish in the shallow lakes of Oklahoma and prehistoric Sturgeon from the Columbia River in Oregon, with his cousin and life long friend, Jerald Kiser.

He was employed by Bill Goddard at Farmington Auto Parts and eventually purchased Bloomfield Auto Parts, as well as Durango Auto Parts, where he worked for many years, until his retirement in 1994.

He excelled in math and was a walking calculator. Anyone that asked for parts for their car or truck rarely saw him use a parts catalog, he kept the part numbers in his head. He was an honest businessman and fair to a fault.

Tommy’s signature everyday look was a snap-up western shirt, ball cap, blue jeans and cowboy boots. Many salesmen lost their prized silk power ties by wearing them into his auto parts store in Bloomfield, as he always kept his pocket knife razor sharp and was quick to remove the bottom half of their ties if they showed up wearing one. He was known to quote: “suits and ties have no place in an auto parts store.”

He loved spending time with his family and friends, whether it was hunting or flea markets with his son and grandson, or yard sales and softball games with his daughter and grand-daughter. He knew when to take life seriously and when to have fun. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. His spirit will live on through our shared stories and laughter.

Tommy was a member and cherished the time spent in fellowship with his many friends on Thursday nights at Chisholm Trail Cowboy Church. He was always there for the beans and biscuits before and gossip exchange during and after their “standing room only meetings,” held in the sale barn at the Northwest Stock Yards, west of Enid, Okla.

A U.S. Army Korean War Veteran, Tommy was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Fauniel; his parents, Joe and Lucille; three brothers, Bobby, Curtis and Harold Dean; as well as an infant sister.

Tommy is survived by two children, Hershel Ray (Butch) Kiser and wife Linda, and Theresa Jane (Janie) Kiser-Donisthorpe and husband Brian; three grandchildren, Doug and Raylin Bak, Kurtis and Karysta Donisthorpe; one great-granddaughter, CeCe Bak; three sisters, Wilma Jo of Flagstaff Ariz., Betty of Wetumka, Okla., and Dorothy of Holdenville, Okla.;

Funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. today, March 22, 2013, at Brewer Lee and Larkin Memorial Chapel. Pastor Dave West and Wade Elftman will officiate. Full Military Honors at the graveside.

Honorary pallbearers include grandchildren, Raylin Bak, Kurtis and Karysta Donisthorpe, and great-granddaughter, CeCe Bak.

Family asks that this be a “no tie affair,” just cowboy up and come as you are, also in lieu of floral arrangements, donations can be made to American Diabetes Association or American Heart Association .

Tommy’s care is entrusted to Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home, 103 E. Ute St. in Farmington, N.M. (505) 325-8688.

Those who wish to express their condolences may do so at http://www.serenityandcompany.com.

(Submitted by family)