Thomas Neal Hollenbeck was born on May 26, 1957 to Neal and Winnie Hollenbeck in Pocatello, Idaho. The family moved several times due to Neal’s employment with Mountain Bell, but eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Tom graduated from East High School. Tom was an avid skier and outdoorsman and worked for several years at The Village Sporthaus. Later he worked Mountain Bell, and eventually joined the Utah National Guard where he flew AH-1 Cobra and AH-64 Apache Helicopters. Tom served his nation honorably in Desert Storm.
Tom married Colleen Kendig in 1982 and had two children, Harley and Hannah. The family moved to Ouray, Colorado in 1992, where Tom built a home and started a small helicopter business. Tom worked a variety of jobs as a pilot, including for numerous Ouray Mountain Rescue missions, Telluride Ski Resort and for what became Telluride Helitrax. After an injury that ended Tom’s pilot career, he found long-term employment with Ouray Schools as the Facilities Manager and as a math tutor. Many students remember Tom’s sarcastic wit and practical teaching methods. Tom was a skilled woodworker and loved making toys for his children and nieces and nephews. Tom also enjoyed wrenching on cars.
Tom moved back to Salt Lake City in 2012 and spent many cherished years with his mother and her partner Richard Brown, sister Teresa, and brother-in-law Brian. Tom returned to college in his late 50s at Westminster College, pursuing an Aviation Management certification.
Tom is survived by his son Harley (Ann) Hollenbeck and their daughter Fay, of Renton, WA; Hannah Hollenbeck of Ouray, CO; mother Winnie Hollenbeck of Salt Lake City, UT; sister Teresa (Brian) Garrett and her family of Salt Lake City, UT.