Dr. Thomas L. Hannum

Thomas Loftin Hannum, age 95, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2025. Born at his family home in Gillette WY on October 17, 1929, to Marshall J. Hannum and Mabel Dora Hannum. Tom and his older brother Marshall J. Hannum “Jed” were raised in Gillette a few miles from the family homestead and sheep ranch. 

Tom's father, a chiropractor and pioneer rancher, urged both boys to pursue careers in medicine because of "All the good they could do." While Tom’s mother, a school teacher and respected scholar, instilled the discipline and standards to realize such ambitions. He had a lively social spirit, and loved attending the community dances held around Gillette that brought people from Campbell County together, and filled his youth with joy and belonging. 

Tom graduated from Campbell County High School in 1946. He received his BS from the University of Wyoming in 1950, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1956. He was one of a handful of medical students recruited from the mountain west, which allowed him the opportunity to accomplish his life's dream of becoming a M.D. 

While attending medical school at University of Rochester Tom met Alida Jackson of Pittsford NY and on June 12, 1954 the two married and began their lives together. They soon started a family with the birth of Shelley Hannum. Alida had her work cut out as Tom completed his last year of medical school. 

Tom then joined the US Air Force and after various assignments was stationed in Wiesbadden Germany where Tom and Alida met many cherished and lifelong friends. Their second child Thomas J. Hannum was born at the Wiesbaden Air Force hospital. Upon completing his Air Force service, Tom and Alida moved to Brigham City Utah, where they quickly became an integral part of the community. Tom joined Dr. Otto Smith in medical practice and for over three decades he cared for his patients and their families. Their youngest child Marshall Hannum was born in Brigham in 1968.

 He was an old-fashioned doctor who worked long hours, made house calls, and answered the phone personally. In the span of his career he helped deliver over two thousand babies, and he developed a keen interest in the family bonds that tied his community together. He would often get carried away discussing who was related to whom in Brigham City. Tom's commitment to service extended well beyond Utah. In 1965, he volunteered aboard the HOPE hospital ship in West Africa—an experience that allowed him to meet his lifelong hero, Dr. Albert Schweitzer. (His other hero, Tarzan, proved more elusive.). He later volunteered with AMA Volunteer Physicians in 1967 and with AMDOC in St. Lucia in 1970. He also worked with the Utah Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and served as the first chairman of the Brigham City Community Hospital.

Over the years, Tom received numerous honors, including the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce Total Citizen Award 1986, the A.H. Robbins Award from the Utah Medical Association, and the University of Wyoming’s Exemplary Alumnus Award in 1994. The Hannum family home was always open to the world. Through Alida’s involvement with the Experiment in International Living, the family hosted many visitors from around the globe. They “adopted” several international students, supporting their education and forging lifelong bonds. One special talent Tom developed was auctioneering, a skill he plied at fundraisers for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Habitat for Humanity. Yet his greatest passion, outside of medicine, was snow skiing. He discovered the sport in his first year living in Brigham City and never looked back. Whether on the slopes of Alta or Snow Basin, skiing became a central joy of his life and one he eagerly shared with family and friends. 

Tom’s playful spirit often led to unexpected adventures. From ducking under ropes to ski fresh powder, or jumping onto the back of a “green broke” horse, ordinary moments often turned into unforgettable stories. He was a cowboy at heart, never far from his Wyoming roots. He had a love for horses and cherished being invited to Grouse Creek for roundups and trail rides. It is fitting to say that he has now ridden his last roundup. 

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years Alida; his daughter Shelley (Merritts); his son Marshall Hannum; grandchildren William Merritts, Marshall Merritts, Hanna Brandt, Mirabella Hannum, Alida Hannum; step-granddaughter Brooke Dixon; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Thomas Hannum, adopted son Nawzad Samarrae, and his brother Jed. 

Funeral Services will be held on October 17, 2025, at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 E 200 S, in Brigham City at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at the Brigham City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family in care of: Alida Hannum, 14178 S Bangerter Parkway, Draper, UT 84020.

Leave condolences at www.gilliesmortuary.com.