Tom Terrell, November 18, 2007Early this morning, Tom Terrell passed away. He had been battling prostate cancer for a year and a half. A photographer from his days at Howard University, Tom grew into a talented writer and music journalist. Links to blogs containing samples of his writing appear at right. Below are a few photos of Tommy in healthier times at Howard Homecomings with his sisters and friends. Immediately below is a post of some photos Tom took at the 2005 Howard Homecoming. Photos of Tom with many more of his friends can be seen in posts from the Benefit for Tom at the 9:30 Club and from his birthday brunch in July 2007 below. Be sure to click 'Older Posts' link at bottom to see them all.
Tom, Bevadine, President Swygert, Mona, and Michelle
Mona, Michelle, Tom, and Bevadine
Mona, Michelle, Tom, and Bevadine
Bob Dixon and Tom
GayPop and Tom 
Tom and Jeff
Michelle, Tom, and Mona
6 comments:
Recently a friend said she just left Tom at George Washington Hospital and he was looking for a hospice. I appeared sadden and she said Tom was going to the hospice to finish his projects as if the hospice was some kind of resort.
Tom did many things to survive. He was a photographer, Journalist and a heck of a writer. Since that day I had been thinking about him. Years ago he left a Steel-Pulse pin at my house that I wanted to return to him. He left this world before I could give the pin back. Now I will wear the pin, always remembering one of the most down to earth brothers I have ever known. Peace be with you Tom
Oggi
Tom was an icon, a most memorable presence and an archivist of what's happenin'. We owe him the gift of gratitude for seeing the importance of documenting our antics, triumphs and challenges. To his fmaily and closest friends, my most sincere condolences.
valerie Williams Dargan, HU'74
Tommy was my father's best friend and my Godfarher, I wasn't able to speak with him before his passing, but I want everyone to know I love and respect him, I"ll never forget my 13th birthday, when during a radio show, he shout out my birthday. Tommy was truly unique and in a class by himself. I'll miss him!!
Hello Family and I say family because that's what each and every one of you are to us, the Terrell's.
Thank you Jeff Fearing (Jeff the Purple) for this wonderful tribute to our brother and son.
I was with my brother Scooter when he transitioned at 5:05 a.m. today. My Dad nicknamed him Scooter after Phil Rizzuto, a well-known former Yankee. because he loved Baseball so much, like his beloved Dad. Actually, as Scooter would say, My Dad named him Scooter because he thought that would Scooter a World Series-talented player one day. :-)
What an awesome night we had. I kissed, hugged and loved him a lot, like Jeff and all of you. He was in coma, but I wiped tears from his eyes many times over the night. He had a Walkman with a CD in it in the drawer of a dresser in his room.
I don't know which CD it was, but I hooked up the earplugs and placed one on his left ear and placed the other under his pillow for stability. I don't know what all the songs were on that CD, but I can tell you I continued to press play whenever it came to an end. I listened occasionally to make sure the muic was coming through and I think some of what I heard were some of the songs wfrom the benefits he was so honored to have you have for him. (Just last Friday he talked about Red Buttons and how he never got a dinner, and how he (Tom) got several!)
The hospice nurse, Ms. Gooden gave me a complete primer on what to expect, so I knew when transition was near. My high school friend Brenda was with me and togther we breathed every strong breath with him, I held his hand, I kissed him, I wiped his tears, prayed and talked with him unceasingly. The staff said he was unresponsive, but he moaned and teared all through the night. I KNOW that he was aware, in a special way, that the love was still coming. His heart continued to beat long after he took his final breath, which was so prominent, I'll neve forget. As I held his hand, the curtain fell, and I immediately checked the earphones of his Walkman to hear what was playing... I shared it with Nurse Gooden and my friend Brenda. Couldn't make out the artist, but it ws a Will Downing=style voice, singing, "Someone to What Over Me." I immediatley noted the timecode and later payed it back a few seconds and the last lyrcs I kow he heard were...
There’s a somebody I’m longin’ to see, I hope that he, turns out to be, Someone who’ll watch over me.
There are so many somebody's I know he was longing to see, our Dad, Tom Terrell wh Scooter affectionately called Popski, his boyhood friend Russell who died at 17,... his grandfather Papa Joe, his Grandmothers, Rosa and Eliza, his friend Bob Dixon, and so many others.
We Terrell's are all so stong because of the dignity and grace with which our brother and son navigated this ordeal. All of you who read this tribute and any others and was able to take a moment over the past 16 months to visit, think about and pray for our brother and son, your friend, your muse...we THANK YOU.
A great honor to know you or know you have been there in every way you could.
I want to personally thank my sisters Dr. Bevadine Terrell and Michelle Terrell for walking every daily step him strong through every step and sub-step. They desrerve honorary degrees in everything medical.
For those of you who've met our 84 year-old Mom, or have ever heard of her, please know that Scooter's incredible strength, dignity and grace comes from her. She is the Mother of all Mothers and was ALWAYS my bother' hero, along withour Dad.
As Scooter told my youngest daughter, Jessica, just Monday, Monday, Nov. 26...Take Charge, With Dignity and Aim for the Top."
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
One Love,
Mona Terrell
Tom's Youngest Sister
Hello Family and I say family because that's what each and every one of you are to us, the Terrell's.
Thank you Jeff Fearing (Jeff the Purple) for this wonderful tribute to our brother and son.
I was with my brother Scooter when he transitioned at 5:05 a.m. today. My Dad nicknamed him Scooter after Phil Rizzuto, a well-known former Yankee. because he loved Baseball so much, like his beloved Dad. Actually, as Scooter would say, My Dad named him Scooter because he thought that would Scooter a World Series-talented player one day. :-)
What an awesome night we had. I kissed, hugged and loved him a lot, like Jeff and all of you. He was in coma, but I wiped tears from his eyes many times over the night. He had a Walkman with a CD in it in the drawer of a dresser in his room.
I don't know which CD it was, but I hooked up the earplugs and placed one on his left ear and placed the other under his pillow for stability. I don't know what all the songs were on that CD, but I can tell you I continued to press play whenever it came to an end. I listened occasionally to make sure the muic was coming through and I think some of what I heard were some of the songs wfrom the benefits he was so honored to have you have for him. (Just last Friday he talked about Red Buttons and how he never got a dinner, and how he (Tom) got several!)
The hospice nurse, Ms. Gooden gave me a complete primer on what to expect, so I knew when transition was near. My high school friend Brenda was with me and togther we breathed every strong breath with him, I held his hand, I kissed him, I wiped his tears, prayed and talked with him unceasingly. The staff said he was unresponsive, but he moaned and teared all through the night. I KNOW that he was aware, in a special way, that the love was still coming. His heart continued to beat long after he took his final breath, which was so prominent, I'll neve forget. As I held his hand, the curtain fell, and I immediately checked the earphones of his Walkman to hear what was playing... I shared it with Nurse Gooden and my friend Brenda. Couldn't make out the artist, but it ws a Will Downing=style voice, singing, "Someone to What Over Me." I immediatley noted the timecode and later payed it back a few seconds and the last lyrcs I kow he heard were...
There’s a somebody I’m longin’ to see, I hope that he, turns out to be, Someone who’ll watch over me.
There are so many somebody's I know he was longing to see, our Dad, Tom Terrell wh Scooter affectionately called Popski, his boyhood friend Russell who died at 17,... his grandfather Papa Joe, his Grandmothers, Rosa and Eliza, his friend Bob Dixon, and so many others.
We Terrell's are all so stong because of the dignity and grace with which our brother and son navigated this ordeal. All of you who read this tribute and any others and was able to take a moment over the past 16 months to visit, think about and pray for our brother and son, your friend, your muse...we THANK YOU.
A great honor to know you or know you have been there in every way you could.
I want to personally thank my sisters Dr. Bevadine Terrell and Michelle Terrell for walking every daily step him strong through every step and sub-step. They desrerve honorary degrees in everything medical.
For those of you who've met our 84 year-old Mom, or have ever heard of her, please know that Scooter's incredible strength, dignity and grace comes from her. She is the Mother of all Mothers and was ALWAYS my bother' hero, along withour Dad.
As Scooter told my youngest daughter, Jessica, just Monday, Monday, Nov. 26...Take Charge, With Dignity and Aim for the Top."
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
One Love,
Mona Terrell
Tom's Youngest Sister
Tom was among the very first group of students I had the pleasure of working with upon my return to Howard University in 1972. One of my first responsibilities was as adviser to the H-Book, the student handbook. Of course, it was his excellent photographic skills that brought us together. He, Omar Dasent and a couple of others took some great photos.
Also, Tom always had a great sense of humor and I still remember him staging a photo to go along with a warning about drug and alcohol abuse and information on treatment and counseling. That photo featured him as a down-and-out "wino." We all had a good laugh at that one.
I didn't get a chance to know Tom well but enjoyed seeing him at University events. I was saddened to hear of his illness and his death. I send my condolences and best wishes to his family.
Bill "Damani" Keene
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