Know Your
Brother? By M.W. Bro. Rodney Johnson
made extensive improvements over the last several years, but the ranch is the homestead begun by Tom’s great grandfather, his sons and other relatives from Scotland 100 years ago. They pooled their resources to acquire what is now the 2800 acre home, frequented by guests from all over the world. The ranch was recently featured in a special full color hardcover book entitled Great American Guest Ranches which states, “The McLeods are weaponry experts of the rifle, muzzleloaders and compound bows, and highly skilled in stand, still, spot and stalk, and calling hunts of a wide range of game, specializing in trophy bull elk and trophy mule deer hunts. Guests of the ranch include sportsmen and women of all skill levels; each experience tailored to the wants and needs of the individual prior to arrival.” Tom always knew the ranch would be a big part of his life. He graduated from Paonia High School because of a vote of the community in 1963 to close Crawford High School. By two votes, it was decided that Crawford area high school students should transfer to Paonia
Rocky Mountain Mason
High School instead of Hotchkiss. Tom started high school in Paonia 1968. In April of 1976 Tom married Rhonda and to them were born twin boys, Levi and Custer. Some years later, Tom and Rhonda were divorced. In 1992 Tom remarried and has enjoyed 22 years with his wife Benita. With that marriage, came Tom’s step-daughter, Ryan who eventually married and remains in the “North Fork of the Gunnison” area. Tom’s son Custer and his wife Kerri have provided Tom with grandson, Cayden Thomas. Black Mesa Lodge is sort of in the middle of nowhere... nowhere but beautiful country, right next to <the north rim of> Black Canyon National Park! Tom indicates that east to Blue Mesa Reservoir, and then further east it’s 47 miles to Gunnison or at the reservoir, turning back
west, it totals 58 miles to Montrose. West, it’s 26 miles to Crawford... keep going almost 11 more miles to Hotchkiss or maybe all the way to Delta (totaling 56 miles). Attending Eckert Lodge 136 in Cedaredge means a 110 miles round trip for Tom. As is the case in so many stories told, Tom lives relatively “near Hotchkiss Colorado.” Although he could have joined Mt. Lamborn Lodge 102, he had a special connection with Eckert Lodge 136. He is a Past Exalted Ruler of the Hotchkiss Elks. Among other things, Tom is a story teller. He can keep you fascinated with many stories of the ranch and his surroundings and/or how he came to petition Eckert Lodge. He attended Mesa College after high school and followed that with a degree from Texas Christian University... animal husbandry as you might suspect. He surely does have stories to tell of his time at TCU, working at the world famous YO ranch and its 62,000 acres... and much more. Tom hosts three different kinds of “history tours” on his ranch and in the August/September
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