On this Team TIS Tuesday, it is with deep sadness and great appreciation that we acknowledge the loss of Tom Malone – a friend of TIS since the day our shelter opened its doors.
Tom and his wife, Mary Lou, have been volunteers since the very beginning of Talbot Interfaith Shelter in 2009! They began volunteering as house sitters at Easton’s Promise under the umbrella of the UUFE team, and lent a hand (or four) at countless TIS events over the years. Both Tom and Mary Lou are known for always being the first to sign up to volunteer for an event, and Tom will be remembered for showing up each time with a smile on his face and a story to tell.
Professionally, Tom is best known as the former Director of Horn Point Laboratories near Cambridge, MD and a tenured professor at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science over the past five decades. Born just outside the city limits of San Francisco, Tom graduated from Colorado College, earned a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii in oceanography, and later achieved a Ph.D. in biology from Stanford. Despite his West Coast roots and frequent research travel, Tom and his family made the Eastern Shore their home and devoted their time, energy, and resources to protecting the Chesapeake Bay and supporting the Mid-Shore community.
Team TIS will remember Tom for his ever-present smile and his selfless commitment to creating a bright and inclusive environment for his neighbors in Maryland and around the world. He will be missed terribly by many, especially his friends at TIS, and we celebrate and carry his legacy today and always.
