SAD NEWS WRITTEN BY MY BROTHER'S BOSS

It saddens me immensely to announce the passing or our dear friend and colleague, Thomas__________ . I guess I should mention that Tom has been with the with the Board for 30 years. However, as impressive as that tenure may seem, it pales in comparison to his impact upon all of us. For those few of you who never had the opportunity to meet Tom, it would be impossible to explain all that you missed. I once told him he was like the "Mayor of the Board" but corrected myself because his "reign" reached far beyond this agency. A more apt title might simply have been "brother"- not only to his beloved sister Belle, but to his expansive family of friends throughout the area and beyond. In my naivete as a new employee in 2005 I quickly realized most people had no idea who I was. However, once I told them my position, they would immediately respond with "Oh, you work with Tommy!" That gave me newfound credibility. Yesterday I lost that identity and it pains me beyond words.