My dear friend Tom died in his sleep at age 50 of heart failure. It was in the autumn of 1993.
Tom had a very successful and happy life. He got his degree in philosophy and then went into the computer field. He held a variety of fascinating jobs, and at the time of his death, had his own company, which specialized in the design and relocation of major computer centers. Tom's clientele included many of the major firms on Wall Street.
His youthful passion for fast cars continued in later life, and led him to sponsor a race car, and his son Tim was his driver. We had the good fortune to attend the Portugese Grand Prix, where I was able to get Tom into the pits to spend a day with the mechanics for the racing team with which I was associated. He was in his glory.
We last were together a few months before his death. We had dinner, and he told me he needed bypass surgery, but was "too busy" at the time. I extracted a promise that he would get the surgery within the next 60 days...he didn't do it...and then he passed away.
He was by any measure a real character, and he was a terrific friend. I miss him still.
Tom's dad was a contractor and he would hire Tom to be a night watchman at construction sites.After I was done running around for the night I would come up to keep him company with an armful of beer in quart bottles. We would spend the rest of the night just bull crap'n. A fond memory. I really liked Lalor. One time his father hired the 2 of us to dig a ditch for a sewer line out to the street for a home he was bulding. Took us 2 days. The first day we did a good job. No sweat. But it rained that night and everything was mud in the morning. Every shovel full was about 50lbs. and by lunch we were ready to die. The ditch, which was supposed to slope down to the street became shallower and shallower as the day went by. Finally we, exhausted, laid the pipe and covered it up. I never did hear if the new homeowner had sewer problems. I hope not.
Charles Donabedian
My dear friend Tom died in his sleep at age 50 of heart failure. It was in the autumn of 1993.
Tom had a very successful and happy life. He got his degree in philosophy and then went into the computer field. He held a variety of fascinating jobs, and at the time of his death, had his own company, which specialized in the design and relocation of major computer centers. Tom's clientele included many of the major firms on Wall Street.
His youthful passion for fast cars continued in later life, and led him to sponsor a race car, and his son Tim was his driver. We had the good fortune to attend the Portugese Grand Prix, where I was able to get Tom into the pits to spend a day with the mechanics for the racing team with which I was associated. He was in his glory.
We last were together a few months before his death. We had dinner, and he told me he needed bypass surgery, but was "too busy" at the time. I extracted a promise that he would get the surgery within the next 60 days...he didn't do it...and then he passed away.
He was by any measure a real character, and he was a terrific friend. I miss him still.
Chuck Donabedian
George "Punch" Pickering
Tom's dad was a contractor and he would hire Tom to be a night watchman at construction sites.After I was done running around for the night I would come up to keep him company with an armful of beer in quart bottles. We would spend the rest of the night just bull crap'n. A fond memory. I really liked Lalor. One time his father hired the 2 of us to dig a ditch for a sewer line out to the street for a home he was bulding. Took us 2 days. The first day we did a good job. No sweat. But it rained that night and everything was mud in the morning. Every shovel full was about 50lbs. and by lunch we were ready to die. The ditch, which was supposed to slope down to the street became shallower and shallower as the day went by. Finally we, exhausted, laid the pipe and covered it up. I never did hear if the new homeowner had sewer problems. I hope not.
I miss ya, Tom.