Thomas Robert Tate, 67, passed away December 14, 2015, in Cimarron, NM.

Born in Miles City, MT on February 26,1948 , he was the oldest of four children born to Aileen (Hagen) and Robert T. Tate. The family lived on the Lyon Creek homestead of Aileen's father, Ole Hagen, in Otter Creek, Mt until 1954 when they moved to their ranch in Sheridan County.

Tom attended Beckton School and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1966. A semester at the Univ of Wyo introduced him to the world of rodeo. In 1967 he attended the Winston Bruce Saddle Bronc Riding School in Canada. After earning his RCA card he became a full time professional bronc rider. The highlight of his rodeo career was in 1971 when he won the North American Saddle Bronc Riding Championship at the Calgary Stampede. The event was televised on ABC Wide World of Sports. That same year he earned a trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Injuries forced his retirement from the rodeo circuit in 1976.

Tom worked as a heavy equipment operator at the Golden Sunlight Gold Mine in Whitehall, MT in the 1980s.

He married Susie Davies in 1992 and they settled in Cimarron,NM.

Tom worked for Bill Serazio maintaining roads on Vermajo Park near Cimarron until his retirement in 2014.

Tom is survived by his wife of 24 years, Susie Davies Tate, stepdaughters Audrey (Rob) Jones and Amy Savage, step grandsons Colton, Zachary, Dyllon and Marshall, mother-in-law Henny Davies, siblings, Mimi (Jim), Dick (Alex), Hardy (Patsy) and niece Martha.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent to Maverick Rodeo Club, PO Box 81, Cimarron, NM 87714.

The Sheridan Press - Dec. 19, 2015.