Tom graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, Calif., and attended UCLA where he was awarded a Ph.D in mathematics in 1967.
He subsequently taught at California State University, Long Beach, after spending a year teaching at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces in 1968. Tom became the CSULB Department of Mathematics chair in 1974.
He and his family took up sailing in 1976. In the early 1980s he took a part-time teaching schedule and began coastal cruising with his wife, Joan. They explored the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, and the Pacific Coast all the way north to the Queen Charlotte Islands in Canada. In 1993 they headed across the ocean in their Cal 49 to the South Pacific, eventually making it to New Zealand, Australia and surrounding islands.
Tom finally retired from teaching and sailing in 2001 and moved to Idyllwild where he immediately became part of the community, devoting his considerable energy to the Pine Cove Water District, Mountain Community Fire Safe Council, Idyllwild Area Historical Society, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services and others.
He is survived by his brother; Joan, his wife of 50 years; two children; five grandchildren; and a Great Dane.
A memorial service for Tom will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 16, at the Idyllwild Nature Center. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tom’s name to the Idyllwild Nature Center.