Tom

Tom playing bocce by the river in 2007

So many thoughts this week about Tom Trout: husband, father, mason, baker, traveler, teller of stories, thrower of balls, excellent friend. Tom was one of the first people I met when I moved to Celo--he helped me with a big, messy can of olives on the porch of the food co-op. Our kids grew up together, and our path crossed many ways. 

There was both grace and tenacity in the way he lived his cancer years. I so admire the way his family and closest friends circled around him during that time, and the way he was frank about his situation but refused to be defined by illness. And I will always admire his long and loving marriage with Brenda Phetteplace, and their great affection for Gus and Zoe.

Tom was a great guy, and we're going to miss him. The family put together this obituary.

Cutting soba noodles with a group studying Japanese metalsmithing techniques at Penland School, 2018.

Another thought. Tom was not a perfect person (who is?). There's stuff you could say about him. But he was one of the most deeply positive people I have ever known. When Tom was into something, he was really into it, and it was easy to go along with him for the ride. Even the scarring he got in the Vietnam war eventually turned into his enthusiastic participation in the activism and educational work of Veterans for Peace, return trips to Vietnam, friends in Vietnam, and a love of Vietnamese oolong.