Guardian Giving: In Memory of Tom Wooton

On a remote parcel north of Alamogordo, an irate ranch owner tracked us down in his pickup. Noticing the pair of rifles on his gun rack, I was not feeling my usual irreverent self...

The first time I met Tom Wootten was in the fall of 1994; we spent a day in the field looking at overgrazed streams and springs on state lands in need of restoration. WildEarth Guardians had a plan to protect these areas and Tom wanted to hear more about it. On a remote parcel north of Alamogordo, an irate ranch owner tracked us down in his pickup. Noticing the pair of rifles on his gun rack, I was not feeling my usual irreverent self. Tom stepped in and calmly asserted our right to be on the state land while adroitly shifting the conversation to the changing pressures we all face and feel. With a little humor and his gentle smile, Tom soon had us cursing the state land office, maps, the weather and anything else we could agree upon. I was thankful to have Tom with me on that day.

In addition to being a good hand in a tight spot, Tom was also an extremely giving man. Later in the fall, he sent a generous contribution. Every single year after in an increasingly generous fashion, he and his wife Eleanor supported WildEarth Guardians’ work. Whether we sought support for a controversial lawsuit or a petition to protect an imperiled species, Tom understood and encouraged our work. I will treasure that first experience with Tom and everything his belief in our mission made possible. His sudden and too soon death this past summer was a frightening reminder of how brief and tenuous life really is. - John Horning, Executive Director, WildEarth Guardians

View more guardian profiles

 

All active news articles