RIP Tom A

Sue and I are very, very sorry to hear this. I first met Tom at the Annual Leica meeting in St. Louis. That must have been around 2002. Then Sue and I met Tom and Tuulikki at the 2009 meeting in Louisville, and had dinner with them. Tuulikki gave us some great advice on where to travel in France, and we took her advice, and we loved it. Tom and I talked about Rapidwinders and 75mm Summicrons. He remembered adding the tripod socket to my Rapidwinder.

Our condolences to Tuulikki.
 
Tom was a special one, for sure. Knowledgeable, oh yes, and funny-yes, yes. But he gave me something special. I had the fun opportunities to spend time with Tom at several Nikon Historical Society and LHSA meetings, and I always came away with a special feeling: to go out and use those cameras and lenses, in all kinds of combinations, and do it daily. Rare as some might be, these are still just cameras and lenses...so use them. Not always an easy thing for the collector side of my personality, but it worked. Tom's spirit and attitude will always be with me.
 
It was just yesterday that I visited RFF after a long time, and one of the things I was going to do was to see if Tom had any of his usual insightfull and informative input. And now see this.

Tom was an amazing well of information about Leica, the use of rangefinder cameras, and photography in general. We will all miss him for his unique knowledge, experience, and as a wonderful human being.
 
A kind and generous man... a wise one, too. To Tuulikki and all those close to him, you have lost a wonderful person. My wishes that your sadness is eventually eased with wonderful memories.
 
What I liked about Tom was that he wasn't strictly a Leica guy. He was just as happy with his Nikons (S and F), and some other cameras he had experienced through the years. I enjoyed his lens tests, even all the variations of the "Test Root".

He was really nice to me in all his communications, and I found inspiration to delve more deeply into rangefinders than I had planned to. Would have loved to have spent some time with he and Tuuilikki while looking through the blooming sakura trees outside their apartment, and discussing various lenses.

Friday Zen in Kitsilano will never be the same. Godspeed, Tom.

PF
 
So very very sorry to hear this. Tom was a wonderful person and I'm lucky enough to have a few of the things he made so as long as I can shoot a camera I'll never forget him. My condolences to Tuulikki and those near to him.
 
My condolences to those who knew and loved him. His posts here were always a pleasure to read and he always seemed eager to share his vast knowledge. This community was lucky to have him as a member.
 
Oh....a titan has passed. Such a font of generous knowledge and wisdom. I had always hoped for a self published book on the Test Root from Tom. Sincere condolences to Tom's family and closest friends - the regard he was held in is so apparent.
 
Awful news. Tom was the kind of fellow who could make you feel a connection, even if you had only known him a little while. He was endlessly generous with his time, where photography was concerned. His ways reminded me too about photography's singular virtue: the ability to entrance and communicate at the same time. I am a better photographer as a result. Condolences to all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.
 
I got the word about Tom this morning from another mutual friend. Tom was such a close friend of myself and my family and we are all devastated. Tom was one of a kind, a true gentleman, a mentor and a real friend. Tom and I shared many adventures on cross country trips both in the US and in Germany going to many Photokinas and LHSA meetings together. There are so many 'Tom' stories that come to mind, and I have been thinking about him all day. My thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful Tuulikki. To say he will be missed is an understatement.
 
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