From Mom & Allen

Dear Tom,

How quickly the years have passed and what wonderful memories we now have with many more yet to come. You were such a happy little boy busy playing with toys and you had a love of animals right from the start. As you went through school, sports became a big part of your life and you seemed to have a natural talent to excel in whatever game you played. What great times you had with Dad having a catch or throwing the football. Remember all the years you played baseball for St. Leo’s with Coach Hinnenkamp. Then there was tennis and Saturday morning bowling league with Chris and on to baseball and track at LCHS. You had such determination to play your very best.

You had a great interest in art early on and pursued lessons at the Lancaster County Art Association and with Camille DeHaven. I love that you have these early paintings hanging in your home today. And that was just the beginning of hundreds of drawings as you made art your major at Kutztown.

To this day I admire you for pulling up stakes and seeking better opportunities in the art and music world first in the Big Apple and then on to LA. And then along came another great opportunity with a rock band in Alabama. All of these being great experiences for you. But the best part about Alabama was meeting Jennifer, a lovely and delightful young lady.

All of us were delighted that you made frequent visits over the years and you could always rely on a family get together so all could see you and catch up on life in the fast lane. At the same time, we enjoyed coming to NY and LA and taking in all the sites with such a great tour guide.

I can’t tell you how thrilled all of us were in January ‘08 when you moved back to make Lancaster your home again. Our family is complete and having all of you here brings us such happiness.

Happy 40th birthday and thank you for being a thoughtful, loving son and bringing such joy to our lives. Dad would be so proud!

We love you,

Mom and Allen

From the Reese's

From Your Brother

Tom,

I have only a few memories of BT (Before Tom). Going grocery shopping @ Darrenkamp's on Union Street...

Sitting on the older neighbor couple's laps while there was a big fire somewhere in the city, walking to mom's hairdresser, mom spraying her ozone depleting "Breck" hairspray and that other older neighborhood guy calling me "Toe head." Truth be told the dude was probably "only" in his late 30's!

The Tom era begins with my clear recollection of our Saturday morning cartoon ritual of me lifting you out of your crib so we could go downstairs at watch TV. You were sporting your "onesie" outfit w/ the slippery feet. Ah, the slippery feet pajamas- great for sliding safe into home down the all-wood hallway! Well, we could talk all day about growing up together in the same room, Viva, wiffle, Intellivision, Nerf football, Nerf basketball (Doobie Bros.), going to work w/ dad, Darth Vader poster, riding in the "way back" while mom delivered Avon (while I was busy up front shifting) in the '68 bug, Hanger 18, 45's, world championship tennis, Mr. Urban, Pensupreme, ghost in the graveyard and the green Devil Dog.

We've always been tight about things like music, sports and movies but no doubt we got tighter the older we got and the more mature we got. It's typical brotherhood to have some rough times but I think back that even when we were young I still came to your St. Leo games, home and away, to cheer you on. And then there we were playing softball together many years later and ready to kick that big guy's ass when he was slinging his insults. All those pre-email years of keeping in contact when you were @ Kutztown and then NYC. How did we do it??? Sure has been a pleasure "touching base" all 15 years you were not in Lancaster. I guess with dad gone we had even more reason to stay close and take care of each other.

Great to have you close by again. So great that I went through this whole email without one mention of rubber snakes and Witchiepoo. That would have been cruel.

Happy 40th Birthday Tom!

Love,
Chris

From Stephanie Bejgrowicz

From Aunt Roberta & Uncle Bob

Dear Tom,

As your 40th birthday approaches, Bob and I were inspired to look back at some early pictures of you that grace our photo album. Of course, the first one we found there was the adorable “just born” hospital shot that marked your arrival into the world on June 9, 1969. It was a reminder of how excited I, your 19-year-old aunt, was to get my first glimpse of you. Less than two months later, there you were the night you asked your parents to let you stay up to watch Neil Armstrong take his first historic steps on the moon. Your eyes were riveted on the screen as you held a little American flag. We could imagine your arms and legs pumping away as you waved that flag with enthusiasm, a huge smile on your face. In August, you joined Dad, Mom, Renee, and Chris in the family’s psychedelic VW bus, headed for Woodstock. Our favorite shots from that landmark occasion were the one of you covered in mud wearing a garland of flowers around your little head, grinning from ear to ear and the one of you playing air guitar while Hendrix ripped through the national anthem. What a groovy time you were having! There were the obligatory first Thanksgiving and Christmas photos followed by your first snowman and Easter basket. We were touched as you celebrated your first Earth Day in April of 1970 by teaching the family how to plant a vegetable garden in the backyard on Devonshire Road. You could not have looked cuter in your denim overalls, wielding a hoe. As we turned to another page in the album, there you were in tears, surrounded by your bobblehead Beatles figures, crushed at the news of their breakup and worried about the future of EMI. Bless your little heart! We could go on and on, but suffice it to say that we continued down memory lane for hours.

All kidding aside, in what seems like no time at all, here you are celebrating the completion of 40 orbits around the sun. That’s a good bit of mileage on the old vehicle, but you are definitely not ready for a trade in just yet. During all that time, you were on the journey that has made you the person you are today: artist, photographer, teacher, advocate for people, animals, and the Earth, loyal friend, beloved partner, and cherished family member.

Congratulations on reaching this milestone occasion! May all that is good in life be yours now and in the years ahead.

With our love and best wishes,
Aunt Roberta and Uncle Bob

From Aunt Barbara & Jere

Tom - it's been a few years since we each celebrated our 40th but we're not so old that we can't conjure up a fleeting memory of the occasion and the decade that followed. It is, in some ways, a reality check - life is moving quickly and we pause to reflect on what has been and what may be. It's all good - all the blessings in your life - family, health, career, someone to share your life with - all the things that contribute to a "full life". Yes, there has been great tragedy - life at its worst - but with these events come personal growth without which we cannot survive. We like being philosophical about life especially on special birthdays such as this - having said that Tom, we wish you continued good fortune as you travel through your 40's and beyond - know you have enriched our lives and we count ourselves lucky to be "your family". It is so easy and natural to think of Ray, Robert & Anna on an occasion such as this - no doubt, they are traveling with you through life and are guiding you, each in their own way, but all loving you in the same way from the depths of their souls. We hope you have a wonderful celebration and take some time to reflect on all that you have accomplished and all that is yet to do. We are proud of you and wish the next 40 years to be amazing.

From Buddie & Jack

Jack says, "Meekmak! Meekmak! Meekmak!"

Buddie says, "............"