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)