Stories About Tom
Anyone who knew Tom, knew that he could tell a great story! Sharing your stories about Tom would be a fantastic way to honor his memory. Please share them using the "Contact" page and we'll post them here for everyone to enjoy.
From Jean Bieselin:
After seeing Tom around Springfield Gardens for a few weeks (and thinking how handsome he was with his curly blond hair and muscular build) I was finally introduced to him in front of the laundromat on 224th Street, it was St. Patrick’s Day, 1961. A long time later he told me he thought I was beautiful, and my long dark brown, wavy hair and cute figure made him want to meet me, too. I later found out that it was his turn to do the family's laundry and that is why he was at the laundromat. I thought he was amazing, because in my family only the females did "women's work"... that phrase soon disappeared from our lives...
When we met, we were "sort of" dating other people, but we started dating each other soon after my 16th birthday and it was wonderful being in love. We spent every minute possible together, and my heart still skipped a beat when I saw him walking down the street toward my house. We decided at 19 that we should date other people, so we would be sure if our love was true. We didn't want to get married and a few years later think we missed out on a better life.
So, we dated other people and it was fun, but no one came close to being as intelligent, kind and loving as Tom. He could always make me laugh when I was sad.
The worst time in our lives was when Tom went away to San Diego on active duty with the Marine Corps. We missed each other so much. We were best friends and it felt like we were missing a piece of ourselves.
Soon after Tom came home we decided to get married. Our marriage lasted only fifty years and every day I wish we could have had fifty more.
We had three beautiful daughters and one lovely granddaughter. Our daughters found the love of their lives and hopefully they will each have the good life Tom and I had. We had great times and not so great times. We had good jobs, not so good jobs. We supported each other through bad illnesses and good health. We had wonderful vacations, game nights, fishing trips, going to concerts (some not so good) ball games and bowling trips. It was a good life with Tom and we always leaned on our love to carry us through whatever life gave us.
I miss him every minute of every day.
June 1962
From Christine Bieselin Clark:
It was clear to me from a young age that My Dad really wanted to be a Dad - decidedly, aspirationally and excitedly embraced being "Dad". He would let us put barrettes in his hair, jump off his shoulders in the pool, be the only Dad chaperone on a school trip. My Dad was always willing and present.
In June of 1979, I was almost 7 years old and I still believed in the Tooth Fairy. I also loved to draw, paint, create. On June 10th of that year, I lost another tooth and like all fantasy believing kids, I tucked it under my pillow with a note and went to bed with the hope of a shiny silver dollar exchange with the famous Tooth Fairy!
She wrote back! She even fulfilled my demanding wish to draw a picture of her, gorgeously done in black bic pen ink. I was thrilled and this note has been safely kept for almost 40 years. I would later come to know that the Tooth Fairy was fantasy and even later I would come across this note and realize it was My Dad and his tiny writing and his somewhat terrible but lovingly adorable portrait of the Tooth Fairy.
The note also reveals some pretty awful spelling and grammar on my part and that My Dad was, and will forever be, the only person allowed to call me "Chris".
Here it is.
From Debbie Campani:
When I visited Jean and stayed at her home, I remember Tom was there and when we were about to leave he and I were ready with coats on and Jean was slowly getting ready. Tom never complained. He had amazing patience on many occasions that I saw. He was always very sweet to me. I miss him.
From Joe Stigliano:
We all have something good to say and remember about Tom, These are my thoughts.
My most fundamental life's lessons I learned from being with Tom and by watching his way of dealing with the twists and turns of the road ahead in life.
His style was one of being forceful and direct when called for, kind and humble before other people would realize it was necessary.
He was the adult in the room when one was needed.
Tom had a wonderful sense of humor, if he was with me now and I told him one of his punchlines from 50 years ago we both would break out laughing.
He seemed to know things beyond our horizon.
As a young person I was totally clueless as to what a personal relationship between two people was all about. I was fortunate to observe and to be a part of Tom and Jean's life. The fun of running out of Jean's house to go to George's bar to watch the end of a movie that her father turned off because it was condemned in The Catholic Tablet (the newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn, serving Brooklyn and Queens since 1908). To the honor of being the best man at Tom and Jean's wedding.
I speak now of Tom in the present as he will always live on in me.
Tom now joins Charlie in Heaven, if I can emulate them, I too will join them when my time comes.
To Tom, my friend my other older brother thank you for you.