Come join the celebration for the life of, Thomas Albert Nugent. Services and Music Festival will be held at Cole Park, Alamosa, Co, on May 28, 2017. Services will start at 12:00 PM followed by Music and food at 1:00 PM. Bands performing: Rhonda Schoenecker, Charley Johnson, & Robear, Waverly Road, Blue Sky, Sneakers, Tumbleweed and Mass Jam. Bands wanting to join in the festival please contact, Robert Bosdorf at Light Shine Music (719) 589-8900. Services will be directed by Strohmayer’s Funeral home. Questions regarding services, please contact Strohmayer’s funeral Home at (719) 852-3533. Bring Chairs and blankets and enjoy stories, food and Music

By Daniel (DJ) Johnson
On May 28th, a free concert in Cole Park will celebrate the life of legendary Alamosa hippie, Thomas Nugent, who died at his home on March 8th. To headline the event, Tom’s favorite band, Tumbleweed will reunite, joined by Sneakers, Waverly Road, Blue Sky, Rhonda Schoenecker, Charley Johnson and Robear Bosdorf.

Originally from New Jersey, Tom migrated to the valley in the early 70s to attend Adams State College because he loved the music scene and the mountains. He studied Political Science and remained a scholar of history, anthropology and science his entire life.

Tom was the owner of Four Way Street, Alamosa’s first head shop in the mid 70s. With his friendly outgoing personality, he knew folks from all walks of life from judges and police to professors, academics, cowboys and certainly the counterculture. He prided himself in being a pacifist to honor his older brother, Richard, who was killed in Vietnam. Friends from every religion, race, sexual orientation and philosophical outlook could expect honest communication and respect from Thomas Nugent.

Tom and I lived at the base of the Blanca Range in 1977 and fought wildfires on a crew out of San Luis. During that year in the mountains, we got to be best friends and got into dozens of misadventures and hilarious situations. With his long hair and beard, straw hat (formerly owned by Willie Nelson) and white lab coat covered with pins and patches with irreverent and rebellious messages, Tom would challenge any rules of fashion, especially at formal events. Including PTA meetings, funerals and even a courtroom.

A lover of cats and dogs, Tom and his wife ran The Dog House grooming service out of their home until her death in 2006. Dozens of rescued animals have shared his house over the years.

Tom loved creating controversy and making folks think. He shaved half his beard off to be a clown in the original Sunshine Festival, fought for memorials to past professors at Adam’s State (which he contended were forever Indians, not Grizzlies), was the primary caregiver of friends with terminal conditions, put a lean on his house to support the son of a deceased friend and joined reunions of the Marine veterans who were with his brother when he died.

He would quite literally give the shirt off his back to anyone in need and, as a professional collector of stuff, he always had lots to share. The only people he truly disliked were hypocrites. And doctors. Woe to the medical professional who decided to keep this freedom-loving spirit in the hospital overnight.

Tom is survived by his brother, William and sisters, Mary Ann, Madeline and Cathleen. His daughter, Darleen Mancuso of Kansas, was the light of his life and the reason he said he pulled through two violent heart attacks, which he calmly announced were happening as, “When you get through with what you are doing, you should probably take me to the hospital.”

An estate sale on Saturday, May 27th starting at 10 a.m., will be at Tom’s home at 6658, Road 106.75 South (turn south across from the Comfort Inn and follow the signs). The celebration will be held the next day in Cole Park (Sunday, the 28th) Tom’s 67th birthday, starting at noon. All are welcome, from the highly respectable to the down and dirty and everyone in between. There will be stories galore of interactions with this cosmic rascal, and those easily offended will probably want to sit this one out.
Donations will be accepted at both events to help pay Tom’s debts.