Thomas 'Tom' James Gasper, 77

Thomas “Tom” James Gasper returned home to his Heavenly Father on May 16, 2026, at 1400 hours. Tom was born Nov. 6, 1948, in Cumberland, Wis., to Frank and Alvina Gasper.

Tom was an avid outdoorsman as a youth, where he spent time with his brothers, Bob, Steve and his father, Frank. Hunting was a part of feeding his family.  

Tom’s real passion as a young man was the challenge of wrestling. He excelled in the state of Wisconsin on the mat. It was a place he could be himself and find solace.

At the age of 20, Tom was drafted into the United States Army and deployed to Vietnam. Stories about his time in the service were far and few between. It was always very clear, though, that Tom was proud of service, proud to be part of a brotherhood and considered it an honor to be a veteran. He truly enjoyed being around fellow veterans at the American Legion (Post Falls, Idaho) and the Elks Club (Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Outside of his service to his country, Tom excelled as a husband to his beautiful and loving wife, Terri, for almost 53 years. There is no doubt that the love he had for her was endless.

As a father, he couldn’t have been a better steward for his children and was graced with the ability to provide advice in a single sentence. There was no boundary Tom wouldn’t cross and no mountain he wouldn’t climb to be a father his children would always be proud of.

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Terri, and his children, Brandi and Tommy; his daughter-in-law, Megan; and his four grandchildren: Kalynne, David, Brody and Tyler.

For those who knew Tom, there was no question about how big his heart was for others. Always willing to do whatever was needed to make others’ lives better.

Tom’s memorial service will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Yates Funeral Home — Coeur d’Alene Chapel, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene. He will be laid to rest at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake, Wash., on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 9:45 a.m. with military honors.

Please visit Tom’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.