This time last year I was racing to connect with Tom before he passed away. Being in CT I got to text with him, thanking him for his influence on my life. For me, besides being cousins in the Balling family,  it was jazz. Late in the 1980’s when I was in high school and just starting to get into jazz, we began a conversation about music at Christmas in Spencerport, that continued all the way until the week before he passed away. Didn’t matter if it had been a few years; we would pick up where we left off, talking about who and what we were listening to, what concerts we’ve been to, some good gigs I may have had, and so on. I finally asked him what tunes he had been playing with his jazz band, and one of them became a soundtrack for the period of time last year when he gracefully and bravely passed over:  Gentle Rain. He was literally a gentle man, and I will always remember the sound of his voice. 

Ellen, Rebecca and Emily my heart goes out to you. Please know I think of Tom more than you know. Love to all of you!