Aug 3, 1956 — Nov. 23, 2017
Thomas Vernon Laier, 61, of Santa Clara, Utah, returned peacefully to his heavenly home Nov. 23, 2017, surrounded by his family. He was born Aug. 3, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the third born of five children to William Edgar Laier and Marie Lucille Burke.
He met his sweetheart, Sherry Lynn Johnson, in Salt Lake City, Utah, when he purposefully flattened the tire on her Mustang just so he could be the hero and save the day. They married Nov. 28, 1980, in Sherry’s hometown of Kanab, Utah, and they were sealed in the St. George Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Aug. 22, 1998. Together they were blessed with two children: Holly Marie and Thomas William.
Tom was friends with everyone. It didn’t matter if you had known him for 20 years or if he had just met you in a line at the movie theater; he would talk to you and you were then best friends. He loved fast cars, Mentos, music and Nascar. He knew the words to every song written and even secondary made-up lyrics for each. Tom worked in the car business for over 30 years and spent the last five years of his life driving truck back and forth across the country; he was the self proclaimed “King of the Road.”
Tom loved his family most of all. He is survived by his sweetheart, Sherry; children Thomas William of McKinleyville, California, and Holly Marie (Ty) March of Cedar City, Utah; and his six grandchildren: Stella Carol, Aida Lynn, Krae Thomas, Tru Brock, Mac Kimball and Tucker Tyler; his three brothers: William (Nancy), James and Kenneth; sister Vicki (Rick) Greenbaum; in-laws Robert (Shirley) Johnson, Jill (Steve) Welch, Wayne (Ana) Johnson and Laurie (Richard) Stewart. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Marie.
Funeral services
- Funeral services will be held in Santa Clara, Utah, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m. at the Santa Clara Valley Chapel, 3040 Santa Clara Drive.
- Visitations will be held Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 6-7 p.m. at the Santa Clara Valley Chapel and prior to services, from 10-10:45 a.m. also at the chapel.
- Interment will be in the Kanab City Cemetery, Kanab, Utah.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Mosdell Mortuary, 435-644-2214.