Thomas Harold Kutzley passed away on Monday, Feb. 12, at his beloved mountain home that he designed and built in 1980. 

Tom was born in Jackson, Mich., on July 15, 1934. He moved to Albuquerque, N.M., as a young man where he met Rita Mae Grassham and started a 66-year poem of love. They married in 1957 and entered the military where he was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. After serving in the Army, he and Rita moved back to Albuquerque where they raised two daughters. 

Tom was an engineer for Gulton Industries. He retired from Gulton in 1980 and moved to the mountains in Southern Colorado. He found property in the small town of South Fork and decided to build his dream home. After completing his home, Tom worked on his hobbies that included model railroading and model planes. He was so moved by the beauty and history surrounding Creede, he decided to build a panoramic landscape and model railroad depicting Creede in the 1880’s. The town of Creede was able to transport the landscape and model railroad to the Visitor Center in Creede. 

Tom lived a wonderful and fulfilled life, surrounded by loving family and friends. He leaves behind his cherished wife Rita, his loving daughters Kim Knight (married to John), Kristi Payne (married to Doug), his five adoring grandchildren, and seven treasured great-grandchildren. Tom will be missed, but his family knows that he is helping God make model train locomotives.

Cremation was selected and a service will be held at a later time.

To express condolences, please visit www.mvmortuary.com.  Mountain Valley Mortuary is in care of the arrangements.