Tom Heffernan - November 29,1951 - September 22, 2010
It is still hard to believe that Tom left us and that he hasn’t been here for a decade.
Alive he was present when he wasn’t in our physical presence because he gave of himself in very definite and
deeply personal fashion. He was perceptive, witty, and could deliver a summation of something without appearing
to break a sweat. He was a pleasure to share company with. He remains deeply missed.
He would have gotten a great big kick enjoying the San Francisco Giants nab 3 World Series. He would well have
understood Colin Kaepernick taking a knee. He would have so enjoyed the Golden State Warriors going to five finals
in row and winning 3 championships. He was raised an East Bay boy and he loved the Bay Area. He knew
and loved Sonoma County too.
Yet, aside from his passionate tennis playing and teaching, we don’t think of him as a ‘jock’. Those enjoyments
he missed were simply markers of his local-ness. They would have been finger food conversation before warming up to
the bigger more essential topics close to his heart and keen mind. The Micro and Meta scale issues that sustained
life and integrity were part of Toms realm. He made each of his friends and relatives feel comfortable while dissecting
current issues and developments. He pondered ideas from books, films and lectures. He a great conversationalist
adding spark and a polishing tone. Oh how in his own way he’d relish skewering the erosive political landscape
of the last decade. He likely would have e-mailed his thoughts with links to cogent articles and then followed them
up during the next chance of shared conversation.
I looked forward each September to our annual conversation where we sized up how the oaks looked and their
production of acorns hitting the ground might forecast the strength of the coming winter. Tom if you can, could
you please send us some measurable rain sooner than later.
Rereading the eulogy that Tom wrote for himself in 1993 takes my breathe away.
How keenly he was aware and lived and shared himself with us.
How fortunate we are to have known him.
Unfortunately it doesn’t appear to me that we can add comments to the lovely website Tom’s family created 10 years ago. (actually Marty Roberts creaated this blog and can update it)
Also, I don’t have a current e-mail for Karen Green. If you do, please pass this forward.
Tom Heffernan Tribute Website.
Much Love,
PJ
