Thomas James Blacklock

WINONATom Blacklock died on Sunday, June 8th on a small lake in northeastern Wisconsin of an acute pulmonary edema while learning how to wakeboard with some dear friends. He was a generous and fun-loving man with a zest for life that was contagious to those around him. Tom was ever mindful of others and the responsibilities we all share to treat the people and world around us with respect and great care. He was a loving grandson, son, brother, nephew and cousin as well as a devoted friend who unconditionally loved and accepted all who were within his reach. Tom faced challenges at times, but he fully embraced whatever came his way. Life will never be the same without him here, but Tom's memory will remain forever near and dear to the hearts and lives of all who were within his reach. From the time he was a young boy Tom was a bustle of activity. Tom's first teacher was his brother, Paul. Tom tried to emulate his big brother with his "Tommy Bomber"ness in full swing while his brother, ever patient, made it work. His earliest years in school found him learning at the feet of many wonderful teachers and mentors at Jefferson Elementary School. Tom and his family moved to Alaska for part of his elementary years. While in Chignik, AK, he had both his mom and dad for teachers and they thoroughly enjoyed seeing his sense of curiosity and complete lack of restraint when doing new activities or having new adventures. He returned to Winona Middle School only to find a new set of experiences. There he grew in confidence through the supportive encouragement of the wonderful staff.Tom entered high school in Winona in the fall of 2005, and with help of many friends, he made the experience his own. "When I think of Tom, I think of the guy that dropped food all the time, blasted rap music with the windows rolled down on a summer night, was always there to talk when you needed him, never thought twice about helping out a friend, was always the first one on the dance floor, had the stinkiest feet I've ever smelt, was always up for an adventure, made delicious scrambled eggs, could carry a bunch of stuff up a bluff, was always up for a girls night, and was the most ambitious, caring, and selfless person I've ever met. I feel privileged to have known him." You get a sense of Tom's self through stories... "being invited to Tom's birthday party when I was having a hard time in middle school and going laser-tagging and eating pizza...shooting the BB gun at some cans in the basement and Pat getting mad...going to the Harry Potter premiere and Tom was dressed as Voldemort and put a pantyhose on his head to emulate Voldemort's missing nose...and the many dinners we shared with our friend-group, mostly girls in which I was very grateful to have him. He ALWAYS made an effort to visit me whenever he was in town from Iowa. Tom had always been very easy company and a great wall for my goofy ass to bounce stuff off of; he would bounce something back every time. I feel very fortunate to have been his friend for as long as I have, and he will continue to inspire me greatly."With plans for a bright future, Tom went on to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Knowing he wanted to be a high school teacher, Tom began as a History major, switched to Math and finally settled on a Biology major and Chemistry minor. He loved it at Loras and established a great group of friends. "There are many things that come to mind when we think about Tom, like his smelly feet! But if you ask his college friends, they have even more to say... Tom was notorious for his good intentions but less than desirable outcomes. Like the time he built a bar for the greenhouse and poured the excess cement down the drain, or the time he tried to weatherize his home and almost sealed the doors shut with orange foam. Tom was not a business man. He once donated most of the house's silverware only to buy it all back two days later. He even invested in a green energy company on a Friday only to have the company declare bankruptcy that Monday. Even though he wasn't an expert carpenter or business man, Tom was a selfless, patient and hardworking man. He was ALWAYS there to lend a helping hand, even if you didn't need it. He was patient in his teachings, from parallel parking to golf. He was selfless in the countless nights he offered to DD (designated driver) his friends. But most importantly, he was Tom, the gentle giant we all loved." "I will always remember the three years we spent together as roommates and friends, staying up until 3 a.m. on weeknights playing FIFA, talking about life over games of NBA Street, and dreaming about what kind of teachers we were going to be. When you remember Tom, please let it be with a laugh, a smile, or a good deed." Tom's family all agree that he grew as a person through his college experience; they had sent a boy to college and the boy came back a man. It was clear to see that Tom deeply loved his family. Through much patience, no doubt, he taught Ellen how to drive a stick shift this summer. It should come as no surprise to those who knew Tom that he had already acquired the skills and demeanor of an excellent teacher. He was there for his younger brother, too, as Tom gave him plenty of heartfelt and useful advice before Mark headed off for his first year at Winona State. Tom took any chance he could to spend time with extended family in Michigan. "It's hard to believe that it's been almost two decades since we were waking each other up at Grandma B's house to play Sega Genesis before everyone else woke up. I will miss your own style of Blacklock humor, I will miss your smile, and I will miss the fact that I'm not going to be seeing you for a while. You will most certainly not be forgotten. Someday I will pass on the memory of you to my kids, and tell tales of my hilarious cousin Thomas. I will tell of our adventures on the baseball diamond, our swimming and beach fun at Crystal Lake and Lake Michigan. You are missed, and you will always be missed. You will never be forgotten."One of the things Tom loved was traveling. After specifically being told he could travel after college on his own dime, Tom found a program that "wouldn't cost us any extra money". He spent a semester abroad in South Africa. While the education costs were comparable, the bungee jumping, the swimming with the sharks, the safari and the playing in the international basketball tournament tacked on a few bucks! What a blessing this time was for Tom. His "trip of a lifetime." "My dear friend, even though we lived a short period in South Africa, that was more than enough to realize how amazing a person you were. We played basketball, went partying and had a lot of fun at tuksdorp, and that's how I will remember you, the BIG Tom!"There was nothing Tom loved more than a road trip, and no matter where they were going he loved heading out on the open road with his friends whenever he could. Whether Frisbee golfing with a friend down to New Orleans, or hauling off to Colorado with family, or protesting in Georgia, he could be counted on to go anywhere, at any time, with anyone. His most recent trip was to Washington, D. C., which was a trip that Tom called "life-changing." He took the opportunity to stand up for something he felt strongly about by nonviolently protesting against violence and war. Tom's trip to Washington, D. C. was life changing in an additional way as well since it was while on the trip that he was introduced to his girlfriend, Julie. Although they hadn't been together long, there was a deep connection and they "clicked", as Tom spoke of her. The last day of Tom's life was actually spent with Julie and her family at their place on the Surprise Lake in Wisconsin. His last day was a happy one. His unending quest to learn new things led him to wakeboarding on that beautiful morning. He had failed to get up on the wakeboard three times, but on the fourth time he stood up. He immediately rode his way out of the wake and fell over. After receiving grief for this one handed maneuver he laughed, gave two thumbs up and stated, "Go big or Go home, let's go again." His joy was easy to see as he was smiling from ear to ear in every single picture from that day. With unending love for those around him, Thomas James Blacklock was a blessing in every way. He was an adventurer and a hard worker who didn't shy away from a challenge. Tom loved life to the fullest, and it showed in the choices he made each day. Tom will be deeply missed but never forgotten. From father to son:Tom, my son, you were taken from us much too soon. I know God has a reason for this and I don't know what it is. But I trust that He has a great need for you in Heaven; why else would He take you now? You are missed by so many already. You deeply loved your friends and family and it is just in the past few days that I am beginning to fully appreciate the depths of this love. You used your spirit to touch so many lives, so many hearts, and so many smiles. The world is a lesser place without you in it. Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Tom, in your short life, you've planted a millennium's worth of seeds.From mother to son:Tommy, I adore you. My heart is broken. Rest in Gods arms...if he can hold you back ;) Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:8.From older brother to younger brother:Tom's life could never described in a novel much less a paragraph because his life was not about facts or interests, but about experiences, relationships, and passions. There are numerous people throughout the tapestry of Tom's life who would talk your ear off about his many, many virtues, as we have found out these past couple of days. Nobody had a better vantage point to see these virtues than me. Tom was one of the best people that I know and nobody would have loved to see where life would have taken him more than me. Words cannot describe how unfair it is that you were taken so soon. He now serves as an inspiration to live life to the fullest, taking every chance to experience life and build relationships. May he find peace in his next journey. I love you and miss you so much. I think if God could see how many lives you touched, God would have left you down here a bit longer.From younger brother to older brother:Tom Blacklock lived an incredible life. He was everything I wanted to embody. He lived life on his accord, if he put his mind to something he went out and did it. Many people didn't get the privilege to know Tom like his close friends and family did, but that's not your fault. Tom was always out adventuring the world. Whether it was studying abroad in South Africa or traveling to Washington D.C. to protest, it was nearly impossible to have him in one location for an extended period of time. As a brother, Tom's attitude on life is what I will miss the most. When times get tough I always reflect on family to get through, especially with Tom. Tom lived a hard and complicated life due to his medical history. Anyone couldn't have blamed him if he gave up and mope around, but that wasn't Tom. Tom was always optimistic through times when there was very little optimism to pull from. I use that as motivation, and will continue to use it until the day I meet with Tom again. Thanks for being a friend, thanks for being a mentor, and mostly thanks for being my big brother. The only thing that separates us from meeting again is time, and I'm counting every second Tom. I will always love you and I miss you.From sister to brother:Although we've only had a short 19 years together, my brother Tom has made a profound impact on my life. During our childhood years he was a fierce competitor in any game we ever played. This competitiveness eventually grew into two characteristics of Tom's that I really admired about him, which were his willingness to work hard and his determination. I've seen him employ these two gifts several times in order to reach many of the goals that he set for himself. Tom has also inspired me with his adventurous spirit and his passion for his various interests. He never turned down an opportunity to travel and whenever he saw that he could make a difference he always tried to. Although I won't be able to grow old with Tom, as I had always thought I would, I was very fortunate to grow up with him.Monetary gifts will be used toward the Thomas Blacklock Memorial Fund through Merchants Bank, Winona, MN.
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