Tommy Caywood
Casa Grande - Pinal County
Inducted in 2011
Tommy Caywood was born on June 20, 1922, in Globe, Arizona, a small mining town where former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford was also born. Tommy's mother remarried in 1937 to Lewis Storey, who had a farm at the Eleven Mile Corner near Casa Grande, AZ. Before World War I, she had known Lewis as a teenager living in Uvalde, Texas.
After Tommy finished his freshman year at Globe High School, the family moved to Casa Grande, where he completed his remaining high school years. While in high school, he became a National Honor Society charter member before graduating in 1940. In the fall of 1940, Tommy enrolled at the University of Arizona and moved into the Aggie House.
World War II was declared on December 7, 1941; Tommy enlisted in the Navy in September 1942 and was sent to San Diego, California, for training. Tommy spent four weeks in boot camp and was sent to Point Loma, California, to learn to be a radar operator. In December 1942, he was assigned to the USS Cimarron, a Navy tanker. After boarding his ship at Mare Island, California, the boat was sent on what they called a "shakedown cruise" to Bremerton, Washington. Tommy remembered it very well. He was seasick the whole time. Shortly after Bremerton, the ship left the States. "We didn't know where we were going.
Then, one day, we were informed that we were passing Christmas Island. That was on Christmas Day.
The Cimarron was based in Noumea, New Caledonia, operating with the 7th Fleet in the Pacific Theater. They fueled everything from the most significant aircraft carriers down to P.T. boats. After the Cimarron's tanks were empty, a merchant ship would either come in to fuel the Cimarron at sea, or the Cimarron would return to Noumea to fill and then return to the Fleet. "At times, it was unfortunate because some of the ships we had fueled were sunk. The task force generally tried to escort us of one or two destroyers for protection. They needed the fuel to keep going."
Tommy was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy with a rating of Storekeeper First Class in March 1946. He returned to the farm and started working for his dad and his dad's brother J. R. Storey. J.R.'s son, Jerry Storey, also returned from the war and worked on the farm. As cousins, Tommy and Jerry have had a very close relationship. Jerry introduced Tommy to Sammie Darr, the pretty little girl with whom he would spend the rest of his life. They were married on November 27, 1948, and have three children, four grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. Tommy fully intended to return to the University of Arizona and earn his degree but was busy helping on the farm. "I've always regretted not returning to further my education and earn my degree, but as it turned out, I'm just as well off."
In 1948, their dads, Lewis, and J. R., helped Tommy and Jerry start farming on some leased land. Later, they helped them acquire farms in the Stanfield area. Although their farms were separate, the cousins always enjoyed farming together. "Because it was more fun that way, and we lived next door to each other in town." Life was challenging for the young farmer. Tommy and several other farmers had switched from natural gas engines to electric motors for pumping water, expecting to reduce their costs. Instead, they soon became desperate because they were not in an electrical district and had to buy power from Arizona Public Service at the retail rate.
Tommy had a 400-horsepower electric motor costing $200 daily or $6,000 monthly. Tommy and the other farmers knew they had to do something to survive. An attorney for Electric District 3 advised them to form their electrical district. It was highly complex to meet all the requirements and then get approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission, who asked Arizona Public Service why they would sell this group of farmers wholesale power when they could continue the power of sale to them at retail price. Their answer was easy: if they didn't sell power at wholesale rates, this group of farmers would go broke, and they wouldn't have them as customers. The Arizona Corporation Commission approved it, and Electrical District Number One was formed in June 1975. After formation, the district had to go through the legal process, working out all the details with Arizona Public Service. It took several months to get everything in order. Electrical District Number One delivered its first power in March 1976. Tommy was elected the first Chairman and later had a substation named after him. The board of Electrical District One made a trip back to Washington, D.C., to secure Federal Hydroelectric Power but was turned down. Because of his relentless and untiring efforts, Tommy eventually received an award in 1987 for securing an allocation of Federal Hydroelectric Power.
Tommy was appointed to the West Pinal Natural Resource Conservation District (NRCD) board in 1962. With some available grant money, the West Pinal NRCD sponsored a new program, the Natural Resource Education Center. Nancy Caywood, the Caywoods' daughter, developed much of the curriculum to educate local school children about agriculture. Later, Mary Sue Beers joined her.
Tommy held meetings with Dr. John "Jim" Kline at Central Arizona College (CAC) and helped the West Pinal NRD, along with the Florence-Coolidge NRCD, the Eloy NRCD, and the Natural Resource Education Center, form a partnership with CAC to use five acres of their farmland to irrigate and grow different crops for educational purposes.
In 1979, Tommy and Sammie sold their farm near Stanfield, Arizona, and Tommy semi-retired. When not farming, Tommy enjoyed playing golf and building golf clubs.
Affiliations
West Pinal Natural Resource Conservation District- supervisor, secretary, and treasurer Electrical District One - Founding Members and First Chairman
Casa Grande Industrial Development Authority - Secretary and Treasurer
Eleven Mile Corner Gin - Board Member
Agri-Business Council of Arizona - Executive Committee
Natural Resource Education Center- Founders and Board Member
Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation District - Secretary and Treasurer, 17 years
Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce - Government Affairs Committee
Los Conquistadors - President, 1980-1982
County Committee of Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service - Past President Arizona Water Quality Advisory Council - Past Board Member, appointed by Governor Rose Mofford
Awards
Lifetime Accomplishment Award - Agri-Business Council of Arizona, 2011
Hall of Fame - The Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, 1979
Wall of Fame - Casa Grande Union High School, 2008
Electrical District Number One - Untiring Efforts to Secure Hydroelectric Power, 1987
Maricopa- Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District - Outstanding Contribution to Farmers in West Pinal County, 1971-1988
Goodyear Award - Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Accomplishment in Soil Conservation, 1962
