November 19, 1953 �" March 2, 2016
Tom died in his San Francisco home after a difficult six-month battle with lymphoma. Originally from Cincinnati, Tom attended Ohio University and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs before moving to the Bay Area in 1980, where he earned his Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology. He worked in various nonprofit agencies over the next 25 years.
Tom is survived by his husband and partner of 28 years, Roger Ritland; longtime friends Les Bonus and Carlos Zamora; sisters Martha and Linda; brothers-in-law Danny and Joe; nephews Shawn, Dylan, and Noah; niece Shannon; and many other friends and relatives.
Tom loved animals, especially the four cats he and Roger raised together. He was vocal, enthusiastic, eccentric and opinionated about everything that mattered to him. He could be simultaneously impertinent and caring and was an unforgettable character to anyone who was lucky enough to meet him. We are left with sadness tempered by fond memories of his energy, intelligence, and the many good times we all shared with him.