The death of Top Gun star and prolific actor Tom Skerritt on October 21 has rocked Hollywood, with everyone from Julia Roberts to Lauren Holly paying tribute to the 93-year-old.
Tom passed away from natural causes, with his family sharing that he was a loving husband, father and grandfather who always provided "humor", "curiosity" and "wisdom".
Maddison's moving tribute to her grandfather
© Getty ImagesTom's granddaughter, Maddison Garcia, took to Instagram to share a touching tribute to the patriarch, alongside pictures of them on their final FaceTime call together before his death.
"My last FaceTime with him," Maddison began in the caption. "It's so wild seeing death. Over the last year, his spirit slowly left his body. Truly like watching the movie Coco. An animated skeleton with so much light shining through a meat suit."
© Instagram"So many weird synchronicities with this FaceTime picture & our last true connection & the date of his death & butt dialing me to be at the neighborhood gathering before they took his dead body away," she continued. "Such a complex, rich & wonderful human experience he lived. He saved my life. He gave me life. He loved us all so much in his weird way & he obsessed over the imagination & creation & art & music."
"We all miss you so much it hurts," Maddison concluded.
Inside Tom Skerritt's family life
Tom was married three times: firstly to Charlotte Shanks from 1957 to 1972, then to Sue Oran from 1977 to 1992, and finally to Julie Tokashiki from 1998 until his death.
He welcomed his eldest three children, Andy, Erin and Matt, with Charlotte, then his son, Colin, with Sue, and his adopted daughter, Emiko, with Julie.
© Getty ImagesThe M*A*S*H star's family shared a heartbreaking statement announcing his death on October 22, which read: "Our family is deeply saddened to share that Tom Skerritt passed away on October 21, 2026, from natural causes."
"He was a loving husband to Julie; father to Andy, Erin, Matt, Colin, and Emiko; grandfather to Sara, Maddison, Sunny, Louisa, and Georgia; and great-grandfather to Marigold and Ravi. We are heartbroken by his loss."
© Getty Images for IWCThe statement continued: "While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives."
"We are incredibly grateful for the love and support being shown by his friends, colleagues, and fans. We ask for privacy as our family grieves. Information regarding a memorial will be shared at a later date."
Remembering Tom Skerritt
© InstagramTom's former co-stars took to social media to share their memories of the late actor, including Julia Roberts, who portrayed his daughter, Shelby Eatenton, in 1989's Steel Magnolias. "A shining light of a gentle man. RIP," she wrote on Instagram.
Tom's Picket Fences co-star, Lauren Holly, shared a photo of the pair on set together, alongside a sweet message on Instagram.
© Instagram"I adored Tom Skerritt. I was lucky enough to work with him on more than one project, but the first was Picket Fences. He was our leader. His example made those years such a joy, and we all loved and respected him so much," she recalled.
"He cared deeply for his family – both the one at home and the one at work. He cared deeply for his planet, and all of its inhabitants," she continued. "He had a huge impact on my life, and so many memories I have of him include sharing fits of crippling laughter. Rest easy, my friend. I will think of you often."
