It is with the greatest sadness that i learned that Tom is no longer with us. He will always have a soft spot in
my heart and, if Dick Wolf were with us now, he would say the same. In his concerned and caring way, Tom was always so helpful with so many projects with Dick, and he contributed his wise thoughts and energy to so many Hill issues. I am so sad that we have
lost such a kind and caringTom. He was so gentle and insightful. When possible I would like to spend time with his wonderful,
lovely wife Jan, and share some thoughts about Tom with her. Much love to you, Mimi (Mimi Wolf)
My love to Jan, Heather and Tom's family! Condolences! I will miss Tom very much! From the moment he stopped me on 8th street SE back in 2000 I knew Tom was going to impact my life in some way. I started playing soccer for him and became friends with him and Jan! Tom I truly appreciated your thoughts, advise and guidance you provided to me. I will miss our dinners together and your friendship! Good bless. Tudor
It has been a blessing to have had Tom in my life growing up. It could be grim and he was always
a bright light for me. As first cousins, we occasionally saw each other, laughed and engaged in deep conversations.
I have no idea what they were about, but we both enjoyed them. Then, we'd go our separate ways not seeing each other for years at at a time. We were busy trying to figure life out. When he met Jan, he said she was perfect for him, that she could balance his life. So I wasn't surprised when they married. My deepest sympathies go to Jan and Heather. This is a time of transition. Having had him as a daily presence and now learning to live without him. I miss him too and feel deeply saddened. Thank you for including me in this conversation. It gives me a chance to focus on my sadness, to feel the loss for myself.
My heartfelt THANK YOU to Bill, for your role in setting up and communicating the Caring Bridge;
I received one of Tom's short stories, the Spoof in Duluth, just days ago. Hilarious. Tom loved a good spoof, he must have learned something from the Hasty Pudding club @ Harvard. I was trying to come up with something good to say about the journey with the disease that Lou Gehrig so bravely fought, ALS. Tom and I were both baseball fans (Red Sox country) and indeed, the Portage is now over. We had a trip through Reid Lake in Quetico Provincial Park in CA where we could hear a canoe clunking off of trees, followed by cursing of one or both of the Lee brothers; Don, the oldest, having discovered this piece of paradise regularly used by the voyageurs. We decided to put a 50# packback on our back, and a 50# pack on our front, hoist the canoe and make the portage, while being sufficiently consumed by mosquitos and no hands to slap ourselves or them,to get the portage done and get back on the water post haste in "One Go." Tom's idea, of course.
TOM had mastered the "J" stoke, and he needed it to correct course as I practiced mine from the bow. We fished for and caught walleye, a tasty fish. We heard the call of the loon, indicating Yes, we were in true wilderness. We ate the steaks that Bernie Carlson from ELY, MN had packed for us. And then years later around 1980 we turned our sights into the hiking of the Chilkoot Trail and then a trip to intercept the migration of the Porcupine Caribou herd. We loved to share the story of how we got above the Arctic Circle, almost getting stranded and running out of food, with our link back to civilization, as we would learn later, a fugitive from the law. So YES, I'll be looking for the books/stories on amazon and enjoying the photographs and searching my electronic archives for memories. That said, some of our best trips were ones where iPhones, MacIntosh tower computers, or social media simply were things on the horizon.
I earned a simple nickname, Konk, and ever since we were selected as TA's in the HGSD (Graduate School of Design) we became fast friends. I learned one can get beat up in the wrong parts of some Boston neighborhoods, a story Tom experienced and told ( that shocked me, being from Colorado, a Western admit for hmmmm a well-rounded or diverse masters --MCP-- class?) but we were in our element searching out Wilderness, talking about Alaska, camping, eating the last biscuits from the dwindling flour stock as the plane couldn't get in to pick us up, fogged in on the Porcupine R. in the midst of the summer sun.
Later I would follow Tom's illustrative career at the US Dept. of Energy. I worked over the years at not one but 2 DOE national energy labs, and marveled at Tom's ability to navigate R and D Administrations, know the politics of energy.
Apologies for the long-winded comment. Tom use to tolerate the long period getting to the point. Jan, my heart goes out to you. Heather, my condolences to you and your entire family. What a gift to have a brother Tom. And to all of Tom's former players and mates on the pitch. He loved you all, even the ones that taught him a chemistry lession, according to a vignette that he sent me.
I hope to meet Tom again, as I am confident that I will see Tom again in heaven, for surely in that peaceful place Lou Gehrig will be coaching a God's baseball team and there will always be a place for a fiesty, tough player/coach on the soccer team. THE Soccer Team! Steve
So sad to hear, Hillary and I extend our deepest sympathies to Jan and everyone who knew him. He knew himself better than most people do, and embraced what he loved - the breathlessness of the wilderness and the depth of the heart.
My love to Jan, Heather, and your extended families and legion of friends. May you find comfort in knowing Tom lived life so fully and enthusiastically shared so much with all. Heart ease to you. April
My love to Jan, Heather, and your extended families and legion of friends. May you find comfort in knowing Tom lived life so fully and enthusiastically shared so much with all. Heart ease to you. April
my heart and, if Dick Wolf were with us now, he would say the same. In his concerned and caring way, Tom was always so helpful with so many projects with Dick, and he contributed his wise thoughts and energy to so many Hill issues. I am so sad that we have
lost such a kind and caringTom. He was so gentle and insightful. When possible I would like to spend time with his wonderful,
lovely wife Jan, and share some thoughts about Tom with her. Much love to you, Mimi (Mimi Wolf)