tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19254818856894469042024-03-12T20:13:20.207-07:00Thomas Lyle CollinsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1925481885689446904.post-29533918985542619002013-03-04T12:08:00.002-08:002013-04-26T18:17:11.797-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Following are some of the tributes to my dad that I have received, starting with the most recent. Although I have not posted the shorter ones, every one moved me deeply. Thanks to everyone who wrote or phoned. If you have not yet posted a remembrance, or would like to add to one I've quoted below, please post it by clicking at the bottom of the page where it says "[no] comments. " Or email it to </span><a href="mailto:tomcollins@mbtb.com"><span style="font-size: x-small;">tomcollins@mbtb.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">Thanks to everyone who enriched my dad's life with their friendship -- Jill</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>From Michael Krasik:</em></span></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I was introduced to Tom many years ago when he moved to Portland.
Jill and Ron told me I should meet and talk with him-- we might have some common
interests. My first talk with Tom was at a party a long time ago. As it turned
out he was not just the elderly father of a friend to whom I would visit with
and be polite for a few minutes--- no, it did not go that way. We met, and
minutes later we had business to conduct. My small mail-order business was a
natural for an interaction with Tom, who was a legendary guru of mail order
marketing. He kindly critiqued my company's then-current advertising and came
up with a much improved print ad and several other good
contributions.<br /><br />Our business did not end there. Tom, like me, could be
considered a crazy inventor. We bantered about some silly and some real
inventions and all kinds of goofy and novel marketing strategies and ad
campaigns. Our interaction was playful but very meaningful and informed by
decades of Tom's experience and expertise in his field.<br /><br />I also enjoyed
Tom's cynical humor-- it was a good match with mine. While
we would come up with ideas to make millions (mostly silly, some legitimate), Tom
always demonstrated a very strong social conscience which served as good
balance for his robust embrace of capitalism.<br /><br />Finally, supplements. Tom
was a dietary and nutritional supplement nut. I am a fellow nut. Two nuts,
like we, can spend a lot of nutty time talking supplements. I would point to
very familiar bottles in his collection-- every bottle is a story; and those
stories were told. We both knew that this was a hobby with a benefit-- at least
you will live forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I will miss my friend, Tom.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></em></strong></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">From Bill Green:</span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I first came to know Tom when I was a kid. He and
Isabel had recently come to NY from Oklahoma and were new friends of my mother (who had made Isabel's acquaintance at work
in the correspondence dept. at Sears). They came to dinner one night. That
meeting developed into a lifelong friendship that eventually included my wife,
Lindsay. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">What an impressive couple Tom and Isabel were!
Fresh from Oklahoma, with accents I had not heard except in movies and, to my
young eye, true "bohemians": Tom, was a writer, living with his wife in a cold
water basement flat near The Bowery. What could be more romantic? If I recall
correctly, Candida was born in that Bowery flat.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom had recently been published; a front page
review of the novel TUCKER'S PEOPLE, by Ira Wolfert. Wolfert had been impressed
by a thesis Tom had written on Thomas Wolfe and had urged THE TIMES to give him
an assignment.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Shortly thereafter Tom, happily employed by the
Schwab and Beatty ad agency, moved his family from the Bowery up to Tudor City
in midtown Manhattan, and continued moving, as he continued moving up--to Long
Island, and then back to Manhattan into a town house of his own in the East
30s.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Through all this , Tom was a mentor to me,
encouraging me in my writing, helping me with his wit and with his boundless
creative energy.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I recall one dinner with him in later years, one of
many such dinners (he was also an inventive cook) when particularly pleased
with one of my published novels, he urged me to write a sequel. I saw no way
to advance that story or to further develop those characters. He did, and
between the main course and coffee came up with three workable ideas.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Has anyone mentioned his sojourn in the
theater?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">At one point, in addition to everything else, Tom
became interested in play production. So he took a course in the subject, and,
shortly thereafter produced an Off Broadway Play.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">He never ran out of energy or ideas. He was always
a delight to be with, and an inspiration. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">We've missed him since his move to Portland and
will remember him always.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"><strong><em>From Ron Hinckley:</em></strong></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;">They say you become more like yourself as you get older, and that was certainly true of Tom. At dinner each night he would give us The Collins Report (with a silent "t" as in "Colbert"), distilling the day's political news into the items of importance to him. He would share his favorite stories or headlines from <em>The New York Times </em>or <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>-- or catch their occasional grammatical or stylistic errors -- each morning as he carefully plowed his way through them, never resisting a quick verbal makeover of a misguided ad or two along the way. He was always wondering what or why or how it worked, and he never stopped producing his "million dollar ideas," or pithy bumper strip slogans. His dry wit often made me laugh out loud, and didn't dessert him even at the end. It was a pleasure and an honor to share my home with him these last few years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"><em>From Jill Hughes:</em></span></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTdoB017WbExU5XSWD-NKu85RLCY4m1QI4xZBCiHAXoTHHkr5ROWtJUiLcHB-436JK7DMDiV6W-1W6lwe1oudRloZN0QFa7NNoxeamiPUTmB_6CekzAaoTe1Beb_at0K8uxxPZVbEHNfn/s1600/jillhughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTdoB017WbExU5XSWD-NKu85RLCY4m1QI4xZBCiHAXoTHHkr5ROWtJUiLcHB-436JK7DMDiV6W-1W6lwe1oudRloZN0QFa7NNoxeamiPUTmB_6CekzAaoTe1Beb_at0K8uxxPZVbEHNfn/s1600/jillhughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTdoB017WbExU5XSWD-NKu85RLCY4m1QI4xZBCiHAXoTHHkr5ROWtJUiLcHB-436JK7DMDiV6W-1W6lwe1oudRloZN0QFa7NNoxeamiPUTmB_6CekzAaoTe1Beb_at0K8uxxPZVbEHNfn/s200/jillhughes.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom was a close personal friend from the time I "inherited him" at his brother
Bob's funeral in 1991. At that time, I can remember him telling me he was going
to become a theatrical producer and I joined him on some of his ventures to
check out talent. We shared a love of psychology, photography, film and
theater and we made regular jaunts up and down the northeast corridor to visit
each other for many years before he moved west. Despite a 46 year age
difference, It was easy for us to keep company and I always enjoyed the stories
he told of his marriage to Isabel and coming to NYC, raising three little girls,
his marketing career, political adventures, the farm upstate, and the beach home
on Fire Island. One of my fondest memories include him catching a plane to
spend the weekend with me during a colossal DC snowstorm; we painted my dining
room and watched Henry Jaglom films. Years later, when I had a family, he
joined us on a couple of beach trips to the Outer Banks, NC. Even though he had
not driven a car for several years, on one of those trips he rented a car from
Newport News. Following a print-out from Mapquest, it took him seven hours to
reach our home in Corolla, when it should have taken him only two! I was indeed
worried, but he arrived safe and sound and received only one ticket, a speeding
ticket just five miles south of the house. He fought the ticket and won, I
think! <br /><br />Tom was an angel to me. He believed in me in a way I had never
experienced before, and lended his ear and support generously, and for this I am
incredibly blessed to have had him in my life. He was eternally positive, and
exhibited little grief when speaking of his losses, but when we saw "Little
Women" on Broadway, he uncharacteristically broke down crying in response to a
poignant scene when Jo's sister dies. I was honored to hold him and share that
moment with him. It reminded him of his daughter Candida's premature death, and
I hope in some fashion he is reunited with her and Isabel now.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Tom Rollins:</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It
had to happen, but it still broke my heart. </span></span>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I
am so glad that I got back in touch with your dad a few weeks ago. He
seemed concerned about his legacy, how he'd be remembered, and
whether his ideas had been claimed by others. I understood his
concerns, but I thought his memory was secure and told him so. He is
personally responsible for the 1:1 marketing revolution...[and] the
ideas are in hard copy for all to see.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom
was the first and primary marketing advisor to The Teaching Company
(now called "The Great Courses"), created the marketing
program that propelled the Company in its early years, and counseled
the Company for more than a decade. The Company has now sold more
than ten million courses.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">One
time, early on, your Dad crafted magazine advertising campaign for us
with roughly 20 magazines we would test to see if they were receptive
to us. In his Manhattan apartment, I asked if we should hire someone
to do a study on the best candidates for us to test. Tom replied:
"It's like trying to decide which are the tallest buildings in
Manhattan. We could hire someone to do a study, or we could just look
out the window." I've used that advice in a dozen contexts ever
since.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I'll
look out the window and remember your dad ; I never see Manhattan
without thinking of him.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Joe Favale:</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal;">Your
Dad was a major part of a number of important times in my life. I
don’t know if you’re aware that Roberta and I met while working
at Rapp & Collins... We both lived in the same apartment house in
Manhattan for a while and we were part of an ongoing group that would
meet every 6 weeks to talk, laugh, and share important parts of our
lives. It was a special support group that helped me through some
difficult times. We had a mutual appreciation for each other’s
sense of humor. If someone were to ask who Tom Collins was to me I
would say he was:</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">My
boss<br />My therapist<br />My neighbor<br />My support <br />My
friend<br /><br />Although we didn’t see each other that much the last
number of years I will still miss him very much. One of the last
emails I received from him was typical of the kind of fun stuff we
shared through the years. He said he was having trouble sleeping so
he spent the night making a list of songs with girls names in them.
(I was a a singer/songwriter for many years.) I responded by telling
him I bet I could come up with more songs than he had, and so I did.
This continued back and forth for a while until I’m sure we’d
listed every song ever written with girls names in them.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>From
Roberta Estar:</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">...[Tom
was] part of a peer group, and he became such a trusted 'elder' -
even as we were all aging, too - who could be fun, serious,
rebellious if anyone wanted to tell him what they thought HE should
do, but always willing to talk things out - but not necessarily
agree! I know I learned a lot about life and love and relationships
just by being in his presence. And he also kept working on himself,
wondering if he was truly lovable, or a really loving person. He came
to see himself as both, and I am the richer for having known him, and
now sadder that that connection isn't there, though he is one of the
few who have a very special place in my heart.<br /><br />Your dad
continued to be encouraging to me after he moved to Oregon, and our
emails, when we<br />both found the time for that, were inspiring,
encouraging still, sometimes newsy, and always very supportive of all
my ideas - particularly as a man who had a lot of his own creative
ideas. I still haven't written that book I kept saying I would, but I
have all his precious words of encouragement and even possible titles
for my work. <br /><br />When I picture him now, I see his smile, a tilt
of his head and thoughtfulness, sometimes just a 'well …..' or a
story about so-and-so, or something funny about an episode of
<i>Seinfeld</i> - or some other program he loved - he was usually so
upbeat, positive, forward thinking, and politically encouraging to
keep the faith and do whatever we could to help the cause (of
democracy and fairness). And of course, we could also commiserate
with all that wasn't going well politically.<br /><br />There are often
mixed feelings towards people, as we are all so complex, but I can't
say that about your dad - to me, Tom was a source of life, real life,
a touch stone of humanity, and in just his way - not perfect by any
means, but still, one of the really good good good guys around! I'm
sure he'd love to know that. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b></b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Irene Ferber:</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Your
father always impressed me with his joie de vive and based on what
you wrote about your last conversations it sounds as if he kept his
mental clarity to the end – which is a gift...In spite of all of
the ups and downs in his life he radiated a positive and optimistic
view of life that was always nice to be around.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Bruce Janklow:</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Over
the last 30+ years I sat in many group meeting with Tom in various
configurations. I never, ever ceased to be amazed at his love of
life, his sense of humor and the ridiculous, as well as his never
ending supply of schemes some of which he actually pulled off. He and
I also tussled from time to time in a loving and caring way...<br /><br />While
I'm sorry that it is over, in my mind Tom had a great run and I would
guess that he died without any regrets - - quite an accomplishment
and something I aspire to. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Nancy Smith:</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">Tom
touched my life in a wonderful and big way too. My heart sank to hear
that he is no longer with us. I am so grateful that he lent a hand to
me when I was working for a start-up FOLIOfn and needed a pro to tell
the story of what we were trying to accomplish. He was so generous of
his time and ideas, and the twinkle in his eye, his laugh, and smile,
are clear in my mind's eye right now. I still have the wonderful
jewelry box that he gave Jeff and me as a wedding present so many
years ago, and I see it everyday. <br />He was incomparable in so many
ways. He taught me a lot about how to reach people and connect. I
feel the passing of a great man with a great heart.<br /><br /><i><b><span style="color: #660000;">From
Morris Dees:</span> </b></i></span>
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom
was one of the most inspiring, passionate and thoughtful people that
I had the honor of working with and knowing.</span><i><b><br /></b></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">I
can hear Tom now in a product marketing meeting: "At last you
can learn from America's greatest chefs. Your friends will marvel at
yourexciting meals not knowing that your secrets came from membership
in The<br />Great Gourmet Cooking School."<br /><br />Tom's <i>Readable
Writing</i> column in the Direct Marketing Magazine endeared him to
thousands of struggling young ad writers. He took the most mundane
boring letters or direct response ads and turned them into marketing
magic. Tom wrote so many great ads for my publishing company that I
considered him<br />a member of our team.<br /><br />When George McGovern
asked me to help him raise money for his 1972 campaign, I asked Tom
if he would assist. I had no idea that he had been a Gene McCarthy
delegate in 1968. I also had no idea that he had any political
interest. Tom almost leaped through the phone accepting my request. I
was in New York on the next plane. (There was no email.)...<br /><br />I
spent many nights at Tom's and Isabel's home talking politics, eating
his omelets and drinking good wine.<br /><br />Long after the campaign
Tom came to the Southern Poverty Law Center at his own expense to
help us develop direct mail packages. He never sent a bill.<br /><br />He
wrote us one of the best planned giving letters any nonprofit every
used. I can hear him now speaking the letter he wrote in such a
compelling voice that I choked up: "Many years ago, I read an
old and deeply affecting<br />short story. It was about a man who died
and how, within a year, all traces of his ever being on earth
disappeared. None of us want that for ourselves. We all want to feel
that our presence will be felt and our influence will continue after
we are gone."<br /><br />Tom's wonderful deeds, the love he had for
those with few champions and the good he did will not disappear. Long
live my dear friend.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Judy Pickett:</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">He
was a really neat fella, and I will miss him. And I love that he was
joking right up to the end. What a guy! I am so glad that I had the
time with him here on the farm when you two were away. He had such a
full, interesting life, and I enjoyed his stories. We laughed a lot.
I will always remember him with love and humor. </span>
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><i><b><span style="color: #660000;">From
Richard Cross:</span> </b></i></span>
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Tom
was my mentor whose advice on writing I follow almost every day. In
fact, I pass it along whenever possible. I suppose in that way his
intellect and inspiration continue on.<br /><br />He was a gentleman with
high ideas and ideals worthy of the wide respect. And, of course, he
was a valued friend always ready with wise and supportive advice and
counsel. Not to mention a masterful story teller.<br /><br />And more.<br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>From
Jeffrey Smith:</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">I'm
heartsick to learn of Tom's passing. He was not only a hero to me but
a very important mentor and helped shape my life. </span>
</span></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;">From Steve Davis</span> </strong>[written when he first heard of Tom's prognosis, it was a tribute that had the special benefit of making the recipient smile]:</span></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Classy, interesting, thoughtful, funny, creative, curious. I wish there was a
Tom pill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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