Thomas S. Hyman (1942---2020)
Tom Hyman was many people's "most unforgettable character". He was bright, energetic, humorous and genuine; and, was expert in an incredible number of pursuits including music, sports, photography, poetry and the art of friendship. Music might have been his favorite, and it wasn't just his singing, it was his mastery over a number of instruments and his songwriting, well over 300 songs - an astonishing feat of its own. From his high school doo-wop days at Walnut Hills, to Illinois and Phi Ep and another group of life-long friends, to a Cincinnati law school student singing lead on "Inside Outside" for CBS records, to recording "Sundance" with Steve Welkom and performing with his band "Champion" he brought music to many of us, here and in France. Not far down his list of enjoyable moments was smoking a good cigar. Standing in front of a mixing board, cigar in hand, was a familiar sight in his in-home studio.
Tom worked as a lawyer for the I.R.S., and as some of us noted, "was the best tax collector anybody ever knew...and that included the old testament". He was a hard worker, no matter the task. His dedicated pursuit of justice, for a Tennessee family he'd never met, is testimony to the size of his heart and the depth of his compassion. He was a dedicated pursuer of an astonishing array of goals, an amazing friend who always gave more than he received; or expected, from his legion of admirers. Even Tom was astonished at the number of people who got in touch with him when he fell ill to wish him well and tell him they loved him - and then there were the angels who flew to his side as he was writing his last chapter. He made us all proud at the strength he showed fighting the darkness that finally took him....what a friend, what a warrior, what an example.
Tommy there is a concert-hall full of us who loved you dearly, will continue to love your memory and will miss you terribly. You have generously left your mark on us, and it is one we will cherish forever...you have made us better than we were.
Tom passed near sundown Sunday, September 27, on the eve of the Day of Atonement. Surely he rested easy, as he had nothing to redress or make up for. As he was fading Tommy composed the following, it was found unsent in his computer.
"Dear friends: unfortunately, the time has come when I can't fight the battle any longer I simply want to tell you all goodbye and how much you have meant to me throughout my life. You have been spectacular and have given me more than you will ever know or imagine. Thank you...Tom"
