Obituary of John Ray Tool

John Ray Tool was born in Laurens, Iowa on September 19, 1947. He is survived by his children Guy, Gaylene and Joe Tool, daughter in law Krystal, grandchildren Kayla Voris and Joshua Sopsko, great grandchildren Conner and Lilly Voris. Two Sisters Bonnie Hayes and Jody Pickering along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Clarice Tool, Brother Michael and great niece Paige Tool. He graduated from Laurens High School in 1967, farmed in Laurens for a while then moved to Cheyenne, WY where his brother Mike was stationed. He worked as a cowboy on a ranch near Cheyenne. From there, he moved to Ft. Collins, CO where he worked on a dude ranch and the forest service. It was there he met and married Sydney Wilson, the mother of his three kids. He moved to Timnath, CO and went to work on a feed lot doing all the day to day actives to run the business. He continued to ranching in Carpenter, WY for awhile, before moving to Cheyenne, WY to follow his dream and became a semi-truck driver. From 1974 thru 1981 he drove for several trucking companies when his desire to be closer to his family and get back to farming and ranching brought him back in off the road. He worked in Weldona, CO. on a feed lot then his brother called him to Arizona. In Greer, AZ he went to work for Herb Owens running his Herford operation. In 1991 he returned to trucking and moved to Springville, AZ. During this time he worked for a couple of companies and even owed his own truck. In 1997, he got a divorce from Sydney and moved back to Iowa and worked for Jeffclo, Inc. until retiring from driving in 2010. After retiring he wanted to be closer to his children, who all lived in Albuquerque, NM, and moved there during the summer of 2011. He passed away on November 16, 2013 in his apartment from smoke inhalation. His family would like any donations to go to your local fire department in his name. Cremation will take place and no services are planned at this time. Arrangements entrusted to Riverside Funeral Home of Albuquerque, located at 225 San Mateo Blvd. NE, (505) 764-9663.