Thomas Earl Fickett

   The world lost another beautiful soul on July 25th, 2026, when Thomas E. Fickett passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by friends and family at home. While it all feels so sudden, there is peace in knowing that he is now in the company of some lovely ladies, including his beloved wife Darice, his ferocious mother Rusty, and his darling daughter Sherri. A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, July 29, 2026 from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Tom would want everyone to be comfortable. Please dress casually. 

   Born on December 9th, 1953, Tom arrived in a way just as entertaining and theatrical as the life he went on to lead. From there until the very end, he continued to create joyful and surprising moments for those around him. He made every part of life more exciting, especially in the most tedious of tasks. His imagination was wild, his determination fierce, and his love for others–infinitely deep.

   Along with Tom came eight siblings, all brave, bubbly, and beautiful in their own way. Throughout their childhood and well into adult life, they did their best to look after each other, but not without causing a bit of mischief along the way. Some of his greatest memories were of them together, sharing an abundance of laughter that Tom most certainly was the source of due to his quick wit and oftentimes not-safe-for-work humor. In addition to making them laugh, his siblings always found him to be kindhearted and generously giving.

   That dependability carried over into the work he did throughout his exceptionally long career at BNSF Railroad. A master of his yard at home and a yardmaster at work, Tom was highly regarded by his colleagues as a strong and capable leader. They knew when he was on the job, it would not only get done, but it would get done well. He worked tirelessly to make things easier for everyone around him without complaint (okay maybe a few warranted complaints.) The time that he put into his career made the lives of both his colleagues and family exceptionally better.

   Tom would be the first to tell you he wasn’t perfect. In fact, he carried a lot of grief and regret from his early days of fatherhood, marriage, and losing his little girl. He struggled to express the right emotions, hardened by the difficult experiences he had at the time. But despite all that, he softened and evolved into a patriarchal figure everyone admired, even after not having one himself. He was an impressive son, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, and more. And despite his worries and fears, he finished out his 53 years of marriage being the ultimate caretaker to his beautiful bride, Darice D. Rowland. The dedication and admiration he had for her through the good times and bad, in sickness and in health are what define his impressive run as a husband. And it is because of their overflowing love for each other during their lifetime, that you still feel it, even in their passing.

  Much like their love, Tom’s creativity flourished in a number of ways.

   His imaginative storytelling turned something normal into an epic adventure. His craftsmanship and passion for helping others constructed numerous places for people to enjoy. Out of all the thoughtful and industrious projects, one has been of ultimate service to others. For as long as many can remember, and for some their whole lives, Tom and Darice’s house has been the place to gather. He broke down and rebuilt the walls that held countless family memories–including birthdays, weddings, and a few heated games of horses. He had an immense amount of pride for his space and made it feel like everyone’s, naturally making it a temporary refuge for numerous people in their time of need. Darice may have helped cultivate a safe container, but he built the temple.

   Tom was the life of the party, not in the way that commanded attention, but in the way that brought so much light everywhere he went. Even at the ripe age of 72, his playfulness and whimsy led him to be the ultimate playdate for any kids passing through. He lived his life fully for the ones he loved, his service to others unmatched and unwavering. It did not come with the desire to feed his ego or increase his status, but to truly take care of others. That kind of person doesn’t often exist anymore, meaning the people who had the privilege of being in his orbit experienced something truly one of a kind.