Lisa Zellner to John Curry re: Condolences

Lisa Zellner to John Curry, December 6, 2006

Subject: RE: your loss is also STRS retirees' loss

John - thanks for your note. I have been very fortunate to have had lots of great personal and professional influences in my life, but Tom was by far my greatest mentor and a wonderful friend.

Below are details on a service planned for Saturday and a memorial fund to honor him in case you'd like to share this info. I am gathering comments about Tom to post on our website - may I take some from your email to post??

- L

Saturday Services Set for OFT President Tom Mooney

Memorial Fund to honor vigorous public education leader who died Dec. 3

[Full text of this article is published two posts above this one. KBB]

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John Curry to Lisa Zellner, December 4, 2006
Subject: your loss is also STRS retirees' loss
Lisa,

I write this with a fond memory of Tom. I only met him once -- at an STRS meeting in October. Retiree Kathie Bracy and I were seated at a booth and Tom asked if he could have lunch with us. We were both shocked that a person of Tom's stature and leadership position would choose to sit with a couple of STRS retirees when others of leadership capacity were also sitting at other booths.

Tom recognized our names as creator of Kathie Bracy's STRS blog and myself as a contributor of many articles to Kathie's STRS blog. Tom went on to say how he did read Kathie's blog and that he did understand the plight of the STRS retiree. He was sincere -- very sincere. He was interested in reform at STRS and in all STRS retirees. In short -- this great man with kind heart took the time out of his day to converse with the folks at the low end of the totem pole. He was for the "little man." I will never forget that day, NEVER. Your tragic loss is also our tragic loss. Every educator in the State of Ohio (whether they realize it or not) has suffered a tremendous loss. For the OFT, please keep on "keeping on" in his memory.

Sincerely,

John Curry

An STRS retiree and member of Concerned Ohio Retired Educators