Merry Christmas Thad xoxo
2022 is Here, wish you were too. xoxo
1/31/22 You left us way too soon Missing you so much.xoxo

Have a heavenly birthday.  You've got a friend always. You were called home way too soon and missed so much, and by so many xoxo. 

Wonderful adventures in Cabarete 2019

The next day, in Estes Park,  Colorado.

I can't believe you've been gone a year.  You brought so much life, love and adventure to everyone you met. You are definitely one of a kind and will be loved and missed by all those who had the wonderful experience to know you.  You are still loved by so many.
 xoxo

Merry Christmas Thad, these times were special and unforgettable. xoxo

When this man was made, they threw away the mold. Byron, you sure are missed.

You added such awesomeness to our lives....thanks man.

Be like Byro!

Thad you are that boy...the boy next door....  I was 10 years old when Thad and his family moved next door to us in Chatsworth, CA.  The moment I met him, I had a crush.  Those big brown eyes and those silly faces only he could make.  And I can honestly say, I think I stayed grounded from ages 10 to 16 due to him and the Dormire garage gang.  I could not resist being on the back of his mini bike, or motorcycles.  And it never failed, as we would be coming down Blackhawk street, so would my Dad and yep, I was grounded...once again.   But Thad always cared or he felt guilty, lol.  Every night he would come to my bedroom window and we would talk for hours upon hours while I was grounded - mainly he would talk, as I was so very shy back then.  I knew someday he would be a great writer, because he could tell a story like no other.  My Mom and Dad really loved Thad though.  My Dad trusted him - just not with me on the back of his bikes.  My father was a Mason, and I was a Rainbow Girl with the Masonic Lodge.  Due to my Dad's career, he traveled a great bit.  One of our money raising projects was to roll newspapers and take them to the flower mart in LA.  When my Dad was away, he would trust Thad (at the age of 16) to take me to the mart with my Dad's car, pulling a trailer filled with rolls of paper, at 3AM in the morning to LA to unload.  I would treasure these rides at 14 years old, because we would talk about anything and everything and  we'd listen to rock and roll.  When I was 16 we moved to Tehran, Iran and I did not see Thad again until he was in the Airforce.  We saw each other during one of his visits back home, when I was 22.  He never lost touch with me, throughout the years.  He would always find me, because that is what Thad did.  He stayed in touch with all of his friends.  Me not so much.....so I am so glad he did.  We always had so much to talk about, our lives, our relationships good and bad.  We consoled each other when we were hurting and always found something to laugh about.  He stayed in touch with my Dad until my Dad passed.  8 years ago I began writing a book - A Blonde in Iran.  Thad so graciously took the task of editing it.  I would send him my copy and man oh man what he could do with a red pen.  Ouch!  And I thought I was pretty decent at writing.  He'd mark it up and send back and say...sweetie go on back to the drawing board and do it again!  Even then he would be so kind and so positive.  And now I dedicate my book to him.  Thad.....my sweet boy next door....you took friendship to a whole new level.  You are the ultimate friend that everyone just hopes and prays they will have in their life.  I know you are in heaven, telling your stories, meeting up with all your buds that enter those gates before you.  But have no doubt you will be the one telling all the stories and all others will be laughing till they are crying. I will love you forever.

From the first time we met, it was laughter and fun.  We had a mutual love of writing, riding and vocabulary, which was a very funny first conversation.  When asked if he yells "Geronimo" when jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, he said he preferred "Banzai".  Thinking up fun pranks to play on unsuspecting neighbors, silly moments and ice cream bars, teaching me about Uber in exchange for me teaching him about Airbnb...  Byron was a fun friend who respected all of life, teaching me that there is a reason for all of God's creatures...even spiders.  Sometimes, God puts someone in your life who is not meant to be there for long, but your heart is forever changed because of them.

I dont know if this will play but over 20+ years were always goofing on each other with voice mails impersonating generals, police officers and such he left me this on from the National Umbrella Association. 

You may have heard of military actions such as Operation Urgent Fury or Just Cause but you have probably never hear of Operation Windsack(deu) which took place in the FRG around 1984. An elite team of 3AD SPC members with code names such as Byron, Bill, Steve and Ron were tasked with over taking and capturing a windsock on a bridge over a high valley on the autobahn. Over coarse this was a night mission, camo and stealth required. Once the windsock had been captured it was time to take it back to the base for interrogation. Upon arrival at the gate we found that no members of said team had bothered to bring an ID and with a 20ft steel pole hanging off the side of the car and said windsock in the trunk we manage to produce a Deutsche Bahn train pass and the guard waved us on. This windsock was later spotted next to our pea pit on the drop zone.

Our searching souls.....

I am so verysad to hear this.  Thad was such a great friend to my late husband, Bill.  After Bill passed Thad was so good at calling me and checking on me.  We became close friends through the years.  I loved hearing about his newest writings and he sent me a couple of the books he published.  When Bill’s and my kids were very young, Bill and I took flying lessons and got our pilots licenses.  Thad was a huge influence .  Later, Bill started bailing out of planes just like Thad.  Our kids will never forget the morning he and their Dad went to the Apple Vally airport and got into our plane, then flew over our house.  Thad jumped out onto our front lawn. We were all standing right there as he landed. Totally illegal but...those two were dare devils.
I truly thought Thad would out live us all.  He was always so full of love and life.  Such a good man. I’m missing you Thad.  I am sure you and Billy B. have reunited and haven’t stopped talking.  The memories I have with all The Dormire Garage Gang still make me laugh.  The night that you Thad, Dave, Hamilton, Hubbard, Weinke, and Gebhardt all decided to hypnotize me. I still wonder today if my body truly did levitate like you said.  It doesn’t matter....I’m laughing.  I know most of your group has passed.  My heart is heavy. Love and hugs to all. Jenny

Brother you will be missed. We had long talks and disagreements. But, at the end of the conversations, I knew I still had a friend. We shared many of laughs. You even wanted to help my daughter with her writing.
 I know you rode and I wanted to ride with you. One day we will go on rides. 
Miss ya buddy. Love ya stop guarding the 6 we have this.

I really tried to convince you that my Grandfather helped dig the hole East of Flagstaff known as the Meteor Crater,then proceed to take money from tourists like you but you were never convinced, thanks for the phone call every time you drove by thereafter! Thanks for organizing the Harley rides. Thanks for the tandem videography and ensued friendship that lasted through the years. Thanks for the twisted humor that made all of us laugh so damn hard.
Too short Byro... too short. Until we meet again... R.I.P., we got this.

Thad you wil be so deeply missed. I am struggling so hard trying to put words together to tell you how much you meant to me and all the Gearhart family. Vacations to visit you in California, get togethers in Colorado Springs and phone calls to just catch up are such special memories. Watching your beautiful daughter grow up and now your granddaughter to follow in her footsteps. My fondest memory though was the motorcycle ride through the mountains of Colorado and losing the key to the Harley. You went all the way back to the Springs to get another so we could finish our ride and then here came the rain, in buckets! What a ride. May you have many more glorious rides. Love you Thad and will miss you so much