Thomas Earl Cahill

Thomas Earl Cahill, 85, passed away January 24, 2018 at Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He was born October 11, 1932 in Salt Lake City, UT to Ernest J. Cahill and Eva Mae (Simpson). He was a veteran of the Korean War and an active member of the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a Doctorate of Law from the University of Chicago. He started his career as a mineral, land and water rights attorney as Special Assistant Attorney General for the state of Wyoming. After several years, Tom and his family moved to Salt Lake City, UT, where he served as Executive Director for the Western States Water Council. His knowledge of water rights resulted in a move to Washington D. C. where Tom worked with then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller to help craft water laws for the nation, many of which are still in use today. From there, Tom and his family moved to Evansville, Indiana, where he took on the position of Director of Legal and Public Affairs for Peabody Coal Co. Several years later, he worked briefly in private practice before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, as Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada. Tom and his family returned to Cheyenne where he re-opened his private law practice. He continued working there throughout the remainder of his life, always convinced that opportunity was just around the corner. Although his work was a major focus of his life, Tom always said that his family was his greatest accomplishment. He is survived by his wife, Novella (Heath) Cahill; his brother, Jeremiah (Lela) Cahill; children Trista (Jim) Neisen, Trent (Tina Marie) Cahill, Jenny (Bryan) Neves and Earl Cahill; bonus daughters Susan (Terry) Jenkins and Lisa (Doug) Hornberger; grandchildren James Neisen, Tess (Matt) Maniatis, Devon (Heather) Neisen, Anastasia (Cahill) Barney, Miranda Cahill, Elizabeth Cahill, Camilla Cahill, Rachel Cahill, Lauren Cahill, Bri Neves, Ty Neves, London Cahill, Terry Jenkins III (Cassie), Mitchel Jenkins (Renee), Ginger Jenkins, Halley Hornberger and Hannah Hornberger; great-grandchildren Holly Neisen, Magnolia Neisen, Henry Maniatis, Madelyn Barney, Crew Barney, Jaxton Barney, Henry Cahill and Aubrie Jenkins; and nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Eva Mae, and his first wife Vernafay. Visitation will be from 9am to 8 pm Wednesday January 31st and Thursday, February 1st at Wiederspahn-Radomsky Funeral Home. Services will be at 10 am Friday at the LDS Stake Center. Burial will follow at Lakeview Cemetery.