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I wanted to take time out to thank each and every one of you for visiting
with us today to celebrate the life of my Uncle Tom. Tom was a very unusual and
fastidious man. He always used to tell me that he had a plan for his life, and
that if someone didn’t like the plan for his life, then they would have to roll
to the side.
While for most people this may seem a bit harsh, it really was just like Tom
to be very on the ball with things, and blunt. He was very direct, and to the
point. Anyone that knew and understood Tom well would tell you that he was a
direct man, and very serious about the plans he had for his life. He wanted to
succeed in his mission, which included advancing to the “top of the food chain”
as he liked to say.
Within three years of employment at his firm, Tom became the CEO. He changed
the business structure, expanded the product line, and invested in
sustainability. His goal was to ensure that he would maximize his chances for
success, and see the world.
Tom did that. Within the ten years he worked for the firm, he visited Japan,
France, Germany, Argentina, and Brazil. He always had plenty of unique stories
to share with us about the way that other companies did business, and how he
thought they could do better. These types of things excited Tom, more than a
pancake breakfast, or bread on butter.
While Tom was not interested in settling down with a large family, partly
because he traveled so often, he adored his wife, and during his vacations, he
treated us like gold. He would visit with arms loaded with exotic gifts and
trinkets. He always had incredible stories to tell, and would often surprise us
with a trip of our own.
I was always surprised with Uncle Tom’s business acumen. He is the person
that inspired me to excel in school, and gain my own degree in international
business marketing. While I do plan to have a larger family, I also plan in
excelling in new ways. Thanks to Tom I have a drive that I know will help me
excel in anything I want to do. This is partly because Uncle Tom showed me that
with proper goal setting and a commitment to success, anything is possible.
Uncle Tom also showed me that even when things go wrong, you can often set them
right again with a calm head, and a good sense of humor.
Thank you Uncle Tom, for remembering your family, and for showing each and
every one of us that we can do anything we set our hearts and minds to. I will
miss you dearly, and I know that Aunt Mary will too.
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