Obituary for Roy Glenn 'Tuffy' Thompson
Roy Glenn Thompson, better known as "Tuffy", passed away on the morning of Friday, January 26th, 2024 at his home in Happy, Texas. In the days leading up to his passing, Tuffy was surrounded by so many of his family and friends that he loved and cared for dearly.
Services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Happy with Bob Miller, pastor of Crossroads Country Church, and Curtis House, pastor of Harvest Connexion Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Happy Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Monday, January 29, 2024 at Happy’s Memorial Chapel in Happy.
Tuffy's story began on March 22, 1933 when he was born to parents Orin and Hazel Groves Thompson in Miami, Texas. Tuffy spent his younger years roaming the hills of Stinnett, Texas horseback and on foot with his five siblings, Orin Emmitt, Bob, Freddy, Pearl, and Marshall. Tuffy's deeply rooted love for horses and roping began early on in his life, as he started out breaking horses with his brothers at the age of six.
From there, Tuffy competed at the high school level of rodeo, winning a National High School all-around title his senior year. The horse that Tuffy competed on at the high school finals was loaned to him by a friend and mentor and this first act of kindness is something that he never forgot. From there on out, Tuffy made it his life's mission to pay that act of kindness forward to others.
For the biggest part of Tuffy's life, he planted his roots in Happy, Texas where he and Judy built a home and raised their two children, Roy Dee and Jobeth. He also built an arena close to his home, where he would go on to spend hours and hours roping steers and calves and making a multitude of good horses. What Tuffy loved more than anything was to spend time with his kids and grandkids and invite people out to his arena and help them work on their horses, their roping and share a little bit of the things that he loved so much.
Tuffy roped calves and tripped steers at the professional level for many years, entering the biggest rodeos and ropings all over the country, from Pendleton, Oregon to Pecos, Texas and everywhere in between. Tuffy made a name for himself in the rodeo community and worked hard to become one of the best ropers of his time. He won a number of titles throughout his expansive career including Ogalala, Nebraska, the San Angelo Roping Fiesta, two world championship steer roping titles, in 1973 and 1975 and Cheyenne Frontier Days when he was 50 years old.
Tuffy was known not only for his roping career, but also for his horsemanship and how he could take even the most condemned horse and make it into something special. After his professional roping career slowed down a bit, Tuffy began running wheat pasture cattle and building his herd of home-raised 96 horses. He took great pride in breeding good-looking horses with cow-sense, and he loved the process of raising them, breaking them and training them up to be some of the best roping and using horses around.
Though Tuffy's reputation as a cowboy and horseman was respected by many, more than anything, he wanted to be known as a friend to all that would have given his last dime or the shirt off his back to help someone out. He walked with the Lord every day and took to heart the words of Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." He never took lightly the help that he received as a young cowboy starting out in the rodeo world and strived to always make sure that he helped others in the same way.
Whether it be giving a young kid one of his 96 horses to help them get started, providing road-weary cowboys a place to lay their head and stall their horses for a night, or pulling a neighbor's pickup out of the mud, Tuffy was always ready and willing to give of himself to others. He loved having people out to visit at his home in Happy and many that went to see him could attest to Tuffy's love for the Lord, as a Bible could always be found on his kitchen table or at his bedside. His life motto was "your word is your bond" and Tuffy never failed to uphold his life to that standard, always following through on a promise or a handshake.
Tuffy is preceded in death by his parents, Orin and Hazel Thompson and his brothers Orin, Bob and Marshall Thompson. He is survived by his two children, Roy Dee Thompson and Jobeth White and his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to the Happy Fire Department, PO Box 216, Happy, TX 79042, the Happy Community Center, PO Box 392, Happy, TX 79042, or to the Happy Rodeo Club, PO Box 121, Happy, TX 79042.
Services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Happy with Bob Miller, pastor of Crossroads Country Church, and Curtis House, pastor of Harvest Connexion Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Happy Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Monday, January 29, 2024 at Happy’s Memorial Chapel in Happy.
Tuffy's story began on March 22, 1933 when he was born to parents Orin and Hazel Groves Thompson in Miami, Texas. Tuffy spent his younger years roaming the hills of Stinnett, Texas horseback and on foot with his five siblings, Orin Emmitt, Bob, Freddy, Pearl, and Marshall. Tuffy's deeply rooted love for horses and roping began early on in his life, as he started out breaking horses with his brothers at the age of six.
From there, Tuffy competed at the high school level of rodeo, winning a National High School all-around title his senior year. The horse that Tuffy competed on at the high school finals was loaned to him by a friend and mentor and this first act of kindness is something that he never forgot. From there on out, Tuffy made it his life's mission to pay that act of kindness forward to others.
For the biggest part of Tuffy's life, he planted his roots in Happy, Texas where he and Judy built a home and raised their two children, Roy Dee and Jobeth. He also built an arena close to his home, where he would go on to spend hours and hours roping steers and calves and making a multitude of good horses. What Tuffy loved more than anything was to spend time with his kids and grandkids and invite people out to his arena and help them work on their horses, their roping and share a little bit of the things that he loved so much.
Tuffy roped calves and tripped steers at the professional level for many years, entering the biggest rodeos and ropings all over the country, from Pendleton, Oregon to Pecos, Texas and everywhere in between. Tuffy made a name for himself in the rodeo community and worked hard to become one of the best ropers of his time. He won a number of titles throughout his expansive career including Ogalala, Nebraska, the San Angelo Roping Fiesta, two world championship steer roping titles, in 1973 and 1975 and Cheyenne Frontier Days when he was 50 years old.
Tuffy was known not only for his roping career, but also for his horsemanship and how he could take even the most condemned horse and make it into something special. After his professional roping career slowed down a bit, Tuffy began running wheat pasture cattle and building his herd of home-raised 96 horses. He took great pride in breeding good-looking horses with cow-sense, and he loved the process of raising them, breaking them and training them up to be some of the best roping and using horses around.
Though Tuffy's reputation as a cowboy and horseman was respected by many, more than anything, he wanted to be known as a friend to all that would have given his last dime or the shirt off his back to help someone out. He walked with the Lord every day and took to heart the words of Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." He never took lightly the help that he received as a young cowboy starting out in the rodeo world and strived to always make sure that he helped others in the same way.
Whether it be giving a young kid one of his 96 horses to help them get started, providing road-weary cowboys a place to lay their head and stall their horses for a night, or pulling a neighbor's pickup out of the mud, Tuffy was always ready and willing to give of himself to others. He loved having people out to visit at his home in Happy and many that went to see him could attest to Tuffy's love for the Lord, as a Bible could always be found on his kitchen table or at his bedside. His life motto was "your word is your bond" and Tuffy never failed to uphold his life to that standard, always following through on a promise or a handshake.
Tuffy is preceded in death by his parents, Orin and Hazel Thompson and his brothers Orin, Bob and Marshall Thompson. He is survived by his two children, Roy Dee Thompson and Jobeth White and his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to the Happy Fire Department, PO Box 216, Happy, TX 79042, the Happy Community Center, PO Box 392, Happy, TX 79042, or to the Happy Rodeo Club, PO Box 121, Happy, TX 79042.