The below email was written by Paul Hennessy to Jeanne Kull. Jeanne’s response follows that. Tom
Kull was a friend of many of us. Jeanne Kull was Jack Langlois’s sister.
Dear Jeanne,
I and all of Tom's friends
from Wheatley (Ken Martin, John Moncure, etc.)
are very sad at Tom's passing and send their condolences to you, your kids and
his brother Doug, who we all admired. We all have such fond memories of Tom
and the good times we shared in sports and just being together during high
school and college years..
It's strange that despite not seeing or
communicating with him for almost 40 years, I still have such vivid
memories of his sense of humor and what Ken described as his incredible
zestfulness.. We spent alot of time hanging out at our Post Avenue home and Joan considered him a kind
of second brother.
I was disappointed we never connected again,
but heard that he preferred being private.The funeral also sounds like a private affair, but if there is anything you can
share from it that will give us all a sense of his life and spirit, we'd all be
grateful. May he rest in peace. He will live in our
memories.
Paul Hennessy
Dear Paul,
It is now 2010, much has happened in my life and yours. Receiving your
e-mail helped to lift some of the heaviness in
my heart. Yes, Tom was a very unique person - I fell in love with his quick intellectual wit, honesty and loyalty. Our
daughter, Kathy, said "Dad always had my back, I
always felt safe". I found out Tom could do anything - he read the
"how to book" and just did. He single handily rebuilt our home in
Virginia - everything passed code. He loved politics, sports, fast cars - especially Saabs, his God and had passionate
conversations with anyone who enjoyed the same. Yes, he had an incredible
zestfulness. He was a perfectionist - who loved to write and create, we have
his many letters, drawings and sculpture to keep his memory alive. Tom saved
everything, he was very sentimental - his memories of his friends, Post Avenue, Donald Street were so dear to his heart.
He laughed outrageously recalling high school antics. I believe he was amongst the most gifted, but addiction early in
his life plagued him throughout his short life, it was the 'monkey
on his back'. He rallied and secumed over and over. He was hired
as addiction counselor by the State and private, even without a degree.
He declined reconnecting with high school friends and high school reunions
because he felt he was not as successful as many. He did keep in touch with
Walter and Chuck. My heart is sad thinking about what could have been and what
he denied himself and his friends of - LOVE, LAUGHTER, FUN,TEARS.
Well, thanks for listening. Tom loved you and all his
friends, he loved life. I am so grateful to
have shared our life together, as rocky as it may have been - we endured and
rallied. Thank you for being apart of his life and memories. We miss him.
Christopher is creating a painting of he and his dad - I will forward it
soon.
I am hopeful you and your family are well. God Bless you and yours,
Jeanne
fyi - Tom's funeral was not private - he was diagnosed
in April and passed away in November. I knew he despised funerals and
funeral pallors,
so we bypassed the funeral pallor business and had a Mass in the Catholic
Church that he felt at home in. Family had a chance to participate
and recall found memories.
It is just so hard to understand it all. He lives in our memories. (where is that hammer, screw driver, flashlight -what would
Tom do, what would Tom say - thats how we are getting
by)