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• 6/30/2010 8:50 PM diana wrote:
  Great job on presenting the details for Tom's life celebration, Greg
  thanks! Tom would be proud and feel very honored I know.
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• 6/30/2010 11:56 PM Rick Sherman wrote:
  So many of us are mourning the loss of our dear Tom. We are all hurting, and my mind and heart keep rejecting the reality that he has passed on. Greg, we all thank you for putting the Wednesday Benefit Concert together, and we thank you and Tony for the follow-up Jam Sunday. All of us want to help Claudia and Lona in any way possible, so thanks for providing this "vehicle" so we can do that. My love goes out to you and all of Tom's friends and family.
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• 7/7/2010 9:58 AM cathi zsupnik wrote:
  Tom Stein was a devoted family man, a hard worker, and a loyal friend. He loved what he did for a living, and passed that enthusiasm on to all who came into his orbit. Over the past few years, we talked a few times about the process involved in pursuing higher education as "older" adults. Tom approached his education in history as he did everything else--with purpose and motivation. He will be missed.
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• 7/7/2010 10:50 AM Greg Vail wrote:
  My notes to share today at the service - posted for those that can't be there and in case I don't do very well....
  
  Hi –I am Greg Vail.
  I am a Musician,
  a Saxophone Player,
  a far from perfect Christian guy,
  a father of 2,
  was married to Diana Ditri and had a beautiful little girl with her – our daughter Vanessa
  I met Diana on Tom’s gig,
  I was a member of the View Band that Tommy loved so much and talked about all the time,
  I became a member of a secret society with Brian and Tommy until ZUP left us
  – and shared life with a dear friend in our journey together as musicians and as human beings.
  
  I am who I am today musically thanks to early beginnings with my dear friend Tom Stein.
  Tommy introduced me to many of you -- years ago.
  Tommy put me on stage MANY nights a week
  and I learned how to really play music and play with emotion during those years.
  
  I don’t have all the dates unfortunately, because Tommy was also our resident historian.
  Tommy remembered everything.
  Every Date, every detail and every event.
  Tommy was a walking resource set and our immediate world lost a lot of history last Monday with Tom’s passing.
  I guess - Now I can make them up dates without being corrected though??? 
  
  Many of you know the quote – BUT THIS AMP GOES TO 11!!!
  
  I think Tommy lived on 12.
  
  Many also know from the later Star Trek series – the WORD ENGAGE! That was the word that put into action whatever the captain had just said. ENGAGE!!!
  
  Tom did everything – EVERYTHING – with complete attention to detail – turned up to 12.
  He also lived every moment with his mouth ENGAGED – His mind was going 1000 miles an hour and his mouth was perpetually ON.
  
  You all know what I am talking about.
  
  I used to say Tommy could talk the chrome off a 56 Chevy!
  THE MAN COULD TALK.
  
  I know many of you had no idea what he was talking about. I often walked up to a person Tom had just talked to
  and was asked to explain what a tweeter was - or if a Rhodes was a piano, speaker or what???
  
  The most enduring thing about Tom was
  – Tom was Tom all the time.
  – In a world of copy-cat living and people to afraid to be themselves – Tommy blasted thru it -- just being Tom.
  
  Tommy was an original.
  Tommy was not even aware of the possibility of being anything else.
  I think much of our kindred spirit came from our shared individuality and – maybe – from our shared - talking too much!
  
  I think we can all agree – when God made Tommy – he broke the mold. God – in all his wisdom – knew 1 Tommy was going to be plenty!!
  
  SOOOO – I know from being a talker – I can get myself in a corner pretty easy> I also know that the more practice you have at something – the better you get at it!
  
  Tommy is infamous for funny situations and stories – and I would like to share one of my favorites –
  
  WE were working at the Holiday Inn with Larry Ober years ago. Tommy decided he needed to work on Larry’s PA and get the room sounding better.
  
  CONTINUED PART 2 NEXT POST -----
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• 7/7/2010 10:52 AM Greg Vail wrote:
  Tom spent probably 30 minutes tweaking the EQ – feeding back the mic and adjusting the EQ again – with a room filling with people….
  Tommy finally looks up at me and announced –
  I FINALLY GOT IT DIALED IN!!!
  
  I looked at the PA head and said – you might want to push this – it was the ‘IN’ BUTTON for the EQ!
  
  Without dropping a beat Tommy says – I was wondering why it didn’t seem to do anything – and he went right back to feeding-back the mic with the room filling full of guests.
  
  Tommy lived on 12 – He could laugh at himself and admit being wrong FASTER than anyone I have ever seen. It didn’t faze him – he was just trying to make the gig better and that’s all that mattered to him!
  
  I have dozens of stories and
  have had amazing stories posted on my BLOG --- I am going to skip mentioning them right now just due to time.
  
  Tommy was a character. Tommy was an ORIGNAL. Tommy was my friend over the last few decades and I already miss him as I know all of us do.
  
  I love my Tommy.
  
  A closing thought from Jewish Scriptures –
  One of the most famous Psalms of
  King David – Psalms 23
  
  The LORD is my SHEPHERD – I SHALL NOT WANT.
  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
  He leadeth me beside the still waters
  He restoreth my soul.
  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake
  Lo, though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death
  I will fear NO EVIL
  For thou art with me
  Thy rod and thy staff - they comfort me
  Thou preparest a table before in the presence of mine enemies
  Thou anointest my head with oil
  My cup runneth over
  SURELY GOODNESS and MERCY shall follow me all the days of my life
  AND I WILL DWELL in the HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.
  
  The only real comfort we have is from God. I pray each of us will experience HIS PEACE and HIS COMFORT as we grieve the loss of our friend, uncle, father and husband – Tom Stein.
  
  We love you TOMMY !!
  
  
  
  
  
  I know many that might want to share a few thoughts -
  
  The mic will be available for you to share a story later at the Benefit jam – I hope you all make it over. There are directions from the Temple to Gentiles – we start at 6 but you can head over whenever! We are also dedicating this Sunday’s jam in Tom’s memory at the same place. Sunday the 11th 4-8.
  
  Thanks for letting me share……
  
  MY Thoughts on Grief - I might try and share if I get this far -
  
  SEE NEXT POST -- PART 3
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• 7/7/2010 10:53 AM Greg Vail wrote:
  GRIEF
  
  Grieving is a topic I think our culture today has totally missed.
  
  Let me quickly share my thoughts on Grief-
  
  I believe --- ‘the ability to feel emotion over the lose of a person is directly proportionate to the amount of investment that person made in our lives.’
  
  When Diana’s father passed away – that was the closest I have ever been to someone who was deeply grieving. I too grieved Al’s passing.
  
  But I had another thing I felt that you might not understand right away.
  
  My own Dad was missing in action almost all my life. He was not a good man and seemed to hurt people all the time. At that point in time I had not even heard from him in a decade and had no idea if he was alive.
  
  
  I felt grief in my heart – realizing that I would probably never have the privilege to grieve the death of my own dad – and even a little jealousy that Diana had shared such love with her father.
  
  As time passed – the thought was put to the test – I got word my father had died.
  
  The strangest feeling came over me. EMPTY! Nothing!
  
  I felt NO real sadness that he was gone, but a strange sadness that he had NEVER BEEN there.
  
  He had not invested, spent time with or shared life with me.
  
  The concept came clear –
  
  Directly proportionate to the amount of life investment – is the grief we feel. Then the observation that being able to grieve – really grieve - a loss is a testimony to the impact that person had in our lives!
  
  If you feel pain and sadness today over Tommy’s passing, please know that it is a beautiful thing – it is a testimony to a life well lived – a testimony of investment – it is an honor for me to grieve the loss of my friend.
  
  Grieve well – Tommy lived BIG – and leaves an enormous whole behind – one that will never be filled and always be missed…….
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