Topper (Edward Carl) Horack

Tom was a good guy.  We used to roam around town in his convertible.  On Halloween the street, Newell and Seale, in front of his house looked like a war zone.  This is the one place most of the pumpkins and tomatoes were launched.  Always remember being stopped by the police and taking all of our “stash” out of our car and putting it in the trunk of the police car.  We would take it out of the police car trunk and put it in the bushes.  They had no clue.  Tom sent me a story he did on Denali and his try at climbing the mountain.  Didn’t make it up but great story about his venture.  We had lunch in Newport Beach after his liver transplant and he looked good.  Hadn’t seen him in 20 years and forgot how tall he was with all his blond hair.  Good guy and we remembered him at Zots organized by his wife Debra, Betsy and Joannie.

Topper (Edward Carl) Horack

To clarify my post above.  Tom had a degenerative liver disease, nothing to do with alcohol.  Some people get liver disease and some get cancer and have no clue why. 

David Banker

Tom's house was just about a hundred feet from our first house in Palo Alto, and I used to go over there often during third grade.....he had a better Lionel train set than I did!

Richard Schump

Tom and I ran around with the same group during Paly and the after years.  One day after a few of us had returned from a day at Santa Cruz (spelled BEER) we saw that there was an "auto cross" racing event happening in the Town & Country parking lot.  Tom had just received his blue Volkswagen so he asked me to drive it for him in the race.  On the second lap I rolled it and ended up upside down on the roof.  Several of us righted the car and the first thing that we discussed was "What are we going to tell our Dads?"  After we concocked our story the rest was easy. 

Sometime after 1981 I was attending a business meeting at a firm in the East Bay.  As I was walking through the lobby a fellow called out my name.  It was Tom who was working as a consultant for the company.  He proceeded to tell my working associates that I was the wildest person he knew in hgih school.  He made me so proud! 

I attended his wake at Rossotti's and met his wonderful wife - it was a nice event.

Nellie "Jean" Neuenschwander (Pennington)

Tommy Stich was the very first person who welcomed me to the neighborhood when we moved to Newell Road during 4th grade. He lived on the corner and we lived just two houses away. He came to the house and introduced himself and chatted for awhile. He kissed me on the cheek, turned red and said "welcome". We finished school together graduating in 1962. He was always nice and polite. I am so sorry to hear that he had such a concerning health issue. Thank you for sharing your memories!

Jean Neuenschwander Pennington

Peter Aronson

Tom Stich was one of the funniest and entertaining people I've known!    

His Zott's memorial was one of three. Debra spoke of one in S. Cal, a formal function of mostly his corporate world friends. Many don't know he was awarded the the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for performance excellance. He applied the Outward Bound philosophy to leadership dynamics, including corporate leaders. His love for OB led him to Mankato State where he rec'd his Master's degree in Experimental Education, AND where he met Debra, the love of his life.                                               Another memorial was back east for his OB community and work at Dartmouth. Debra said Tom would have loved the Zott's / Palo Alto memorial more than any, as it perfectly aligned with his love of Golden friends.  Micki & I did alot of the Zott's prep. I still have all the photos & posters of his life and legacy. Tom's ashes are next to Micki's in our home. I love them both dearly.

Many of us have known Tom from different phases of his life: family, student, San Jose Policeman, Vietnam MP & Jeep machine gunner, OB Instuctor, Dartmouth Medical School Program Director, corporate leadership development, Baldrige Award Examiner for state of CA., his work with the Liver Foundation, or through his collection of nature's art such as fossils, geodes and crystals.

Tom wrote, after his climb of Denali where he observed & recorded changes in expedition leadership with stress, "The effect of the climb's mental and physical struggle is the realization that character traits rather than physical stamina or technical skill are my ultimate line of defense." Tom's disarming honesty and seeking of feedback portray this lifelong devotion to character.

I'll never forget the night a bunch of us were in Tom's San Jose State residence having an evening joint when Tom shows up in full police uniform,with that wry smile! Fear and panic gave way to huge relief when his identity was revealed. I have a photo of him puffing one in full regalia. What a character!

Peter Aronson