Tom passed away on the 4th of December, after a battle with cancer. Today was his funeral in London, and I've been thinking about him all day. Not just him but his family too, who have also been close with me and my dad over the years (since I was a toddler pretty much). So because I have not been able to go there to support and speak to them, I would just like to briefly offer my thoughts on Tom.
My dad moved in to live at Tom's house for a while when I was about two years old, so I spent a lot of time there too. His son Tyrone became like an older brother to me really, so Tom had an uncle-like presence to me. I remember him as a cheerful and very pleasant company. Any time I visited Tyrone at his home in recent years, it was a pleasure to catch up with his family, so it is gut wrenching and still hard for me to fully believe that Tom will no longer be there.
Admirably, he was also a teacher/leader at Woodcraft Folk, an organisation which focuses on developing children's self-confidence and building their awareness of society. He was also respected for his political ideals, and I understand he was an active member in the anarchist scene.
Such a lovely guy, it was a pleasure to know him and I am sorry that I could not attend the celebration of his life today. My heart goes out to his family, and to his memory, always.
A picture of Tom in Formentera (Spanish island) from 1996/7
Rest in peace, Tom, you will be sorely missed and always remembered
