Tom, who came to us from Washington, D.C., majored in SPIA at Princeton, graduated from Michigan Law School, and spent his professional life as an attorney. He died Feb. 10, 2012, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
At Princeton, he played in the band, joined the Catholic Club, and took his meals at Campus Club. He belonged to the Pre-Law Society and served in the senate at Whig-Clio. His roommates were Hobe Burch, Jim Prahl, Jack Thomson, and Joe Handleman ’52.
In 1957, after serving in the Navy Reserve, he moved to Phoenix, where he took the bar exam. Tom’s first law partner was former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. After a few years of private practice, Tom moved on to corporate law with General Electric, during which time the family was transferred to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Kentucky.
Daughter Barbara Tobin Nelson says that Tom experienced the world “visiting countless countries and enjoying different cultures.” He took two Semester at Sea excursions as a retiree. She says his love of adventure was the greatest gift to her, her sister, Nancy Tobin Simpson, and his five grandchildren. In addition to them, Tom is survived by his nephew, Thomas J. Tobin ’93. Our sympathies go to them all on his passing.