TOM AND MAYON WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS. I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 40 YEARS. HE BELONGED TO OUR FAMILY AND TO MANY OTHERS AS WELL. THAT WAS TOM. 
HE LOVED A GOOD JOKE AND A FUNNY STORY, ESPECIALLY IF IT WAS ABOUT ONE OF HIS TWO BOYS.
HE WAS EAGER TO LAUGH. HIS WAS AN INFECTUOUS LAUGH. YOU COULD SEE IT COMING:
SHOULDERS HEAVED UPWARD AND BEGAN TO CROWD AROUND HIS THICK NECK. CHEST EXPANDED. EYES WIDENED AND LOOKED LIKE TWO BIG APPLES AND FROM DEEP WITHIN CAME A RUSH OF AIR, CAPPED OFF BY A HUGE SMILE. YOU HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO JOIN IN. 
TOM'S PRESENCE BROUGHT STABILITY, TRUST AND CONFIDENCE. TO THOSE WHO KNEW HIM, HE WAS AN ANCHOR. HE HAD A WONDERFUL, QUIET SENSE OF IDENTITY AND OPEN OF SPIRIT THAT, LIKE HIS LAUGH, WAS CONTAGIOUS. SITTING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH HIM:
TALKING
EATING
WATCHING TV
VISITIN' AS THEY SAY IN THIS NECK OF THE WOODS.
EVEN IF HE WAS NOT THE ONE DOING THE TALKING, AS WAS OFTEN THE CASE, HE BROUGHT A SENSE OF COMFORT AND SECURITY. 
HE WAS NOT ONE TO SIT STILL. HE GOT KNOCKED DOWN. HE GOT RIGHT BACK UP. KNOCKED DOWN. BACK UP. HE FOUND PRIDE AND DIGNITY IN TAKING CARE OF HIMSELF, FENDING FOR HIMSELF. HE LOVED WORK AND THIRIVED ON THE LABOR OF AN HONEST DAY. WE WILL SORELY MISS THIS RARE AND MARVELOUS QUALITY.
PEOPLE LIKED TOM IMMEDIATELY. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST LIKABLE PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN.
I STILL EXPECT HIS FAMILIAR VOICE TO ANSWER THE PHONE THIS AFTERNOON, WHEN I CALL MAYON.
HELLOH
WE HAVE GATHERED HERE TO SAY GOODBYE TO A KIND AND GENTLE SOUL:
LOVED NEIGHBOR, FARE WELL
DEAR FRIEND, FARE WELL
BELOVED UNCLE AND BROTHER, FARE WELL
DUTIFUL, LOVING AND NURTURING FATHER AND HAPPY GRAND FATHER, BIG DADDY!  FARE THEE WELL
DEVOTED HUSBAND, IN LOVE WITH MAYON FROM TEENAGER TO HIS LAST DAY, FARE WELL.
DURING THIS SEASON OF HOLY LIGHT, ONE HAS GONE OUT OF OUR LIVES; GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN FORE WE CARRY THAT ANCIENT BIBLICAL BELIEF THAT ONE IS NOT DEAD AS LONG AS HE IS REMEMBERED BY US.
WHILE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS LIGHT HAS DIMMED, WE ARE ENLIGHTENED FOR HAVING BEEN IN HIS GLOW. WE SHALL CARRY THAT LIGHT IN TRIBUTE TO TOM AND IN LOVING REMEMBERANCE OF HIM.
FAREWELL



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