Died June 1, 2000
College: Davenport
Children: Thomas, Jr
I often thought that the old country song, “live fast, love hard, die young and leave a beautiful memory” perfectly described Tom.
We loved that on every New Year’s Day, he skied in white tie and tails, that he once drove his motorcycle down the formal stairs into the swimming pool in the midst of a black tie event, and that he broke virtually every bone in his body playing polo at Millbrook.
We loved the last four of Tom’s five wives and loved that, when he was dying, he called us and invited us and other friends to a “Celebrate your Life” party at the fabulous Maidstone Club on Long Island. As Tom said, don’t bother to show up at my funeral, I won’t get a chance to see you there. Come now! After many golf rounds at Maidstone where he played with their range balls to avoid losing real golf balls, Bill Bayfield (’61) took us to Pine Valley where, in spite of being weak from his cancer, he played all 18 holes and even birdied the 17th.
And that is a lot more interesting than his getting his MBA at the Wharton School for after Yale, employment at Citicorp, Lykes Steamship, and as a Head Hunter.
He is survived by one son Thomas Jr., all of his wives including his last and really beautiful wife Angelica whom he referred to as the “German lady”, and many friends who will not forget him and his very big heart.
— by Bob Killebrew