Tom Roberts

Tom Roberts
September, 1947- March, 2012

Memorial Service: Saturday, April 14th, 10:30 AM, Heritage High School, 1401 West Geddes Avenue, Littleton, Colorado 80120. The service will be followed by a reception at the Knolls Club House, 3400 E. Geddes Drive, Centennial, Colorado 80122.

Tom was born in Austin, Minnesota to Robert and Carol Roberts. His energy for life was rooted in a childhood shared with his sister Becky in Austin. Tom flourished in the intellectual environment of Macalester College in St. Paul, MN from 1965-1969. His love of nature from Minnesota lake country combined with his childhood awe for the Colorado mountains, drew him to Colorado following graduation. Tom married Susan Landers in 1970; son, Alex, his hope for the future, was born in 1985.

Tom's career was spent in Littleton, Colorado where he taught social studies at Heritage High School for 35 years. He excited many students with his passion for teaching Western Civilization, Comparative Religions, Philosophy, and A.P. European History. Tom will be lovingly remembered for his intensity in sharing his knowledge as well as pushing his students to be ever- curious, to challenge their own worldviews, and to be life-long learners.

The books that he recently pulled from his library included ones on Shakespeare Hamlet in particular, the historical Jesus, the conservative movement, medieval England, a biography on Abraham Lincoln, on greed, on capitalism, on political philosophy, World War I, and Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy. His music was always in his head, if not on the stereo: Beethoven, Mahler, Wagner. Tom was truly a Renaissance Man!

All of this knowledge and music has been passed down to Alex, who treasures it dearly.

Jerry Brooks, an old friend, responded to the news of Tom's passing with this thought, "I sit here thinking I have watched this wonderful meteor fall below the horizon. So bright. So talented. It's like sitting in a room watching a candle go out leaving the rest of us to sit in the pitch black darkness." We are all the richer for knowing him.

Preceded in death by his father, Robert E. Roberts, and his best friend and brother-in-law, Chris Kabella. He is survived by his mother, Carol, his son, Alex, his sister Becky Kabella, and his two nieces, Claudia and Clancey.

Dontaions may be made in Tom's name to:

Junior Symphony Guild
Inside the Orchestra Programs
1165 Delaware Street, Suite 204
Denver, Colorado 80204