Lincoln Krochmal

Although I did not know Tom directly, my prayers go out to his family and I mourn the loss of another of our classmates.

Stephen Bruhn

I met Tom my sophmore year at ETHS and have many great memories of poker parties in high school and summer softball leagues during college.  We remained friends throughout our lives.  Tom was the nicest most genuine man I have ever met.  I will miss him.....

Kenneth Aagaard

Tom Payne was always a gentle giant. I knew him going back to grade school when we attended church together. He was always so quiet, so astute, and so talented. And yes we played poker all the way up until a few years ago. Deaver, Swanson, Cramer, Udell, Bruhn, Payne, and others played all through high school and college. God bless Tom and his family. He will be missed. 

Jim Gustafson

My dad and I went to Wisconsin to fish for a week every summer.  In 1960, he invited a Tom Bernard who owned a dry cleaner on Central Street to join us. Tom had a neighbor named Tom Payne who he wanted to bring along.  Tom, Tom, Jim (my dad), and Jim went fishing for a week.  I remember those days and the friendship that followed through the next few years.  We did not keep in touch, but the memories are solid and the news sad.  

My best to his family and my thanks to Tom

Holly Romans (Green)

Sometime in November of fifth grade, my family moved and I switched schools from Oakton to Lincolnwood.  Miss Sorensen, I believe, was my teacher.  I was very fortunate to have been assigned to a  nice class and I sat next to Tom for several months.  Miss Sorensen had our desks arranged in a large circle with the center totally open. I remember this handsome guy being very kind, especially polite, and with a quiet and congenial sense of humor.  Somehow with the diaspora of a thousand kids in our class at ETHS, I lost track of him, but when I read the news that he had died, I envisioned him perfectly as he was in those days and was saddened to hear of his passing.  It is a reminder to all of us how quickly time passes and how lucky are we who are still alive.  God speed, Tom.  You were a darling guy and I am thankful that our paths crossed however briefly.

John McCabe

i knew Tom from LInconlwood and the Y Club. Tom was quite talented in the music area. When we would play poker at my house, Tom was always to first to loose and rather then going home, my dad insisted that Tom play the 88 keys, which my farther loved. He could not read a note but he could repleat whatever he heard. He has some antique banjo's which he played. Jerri and I went to a Sunday morning "concert" in the NW area of Chicago along with other classmates. He would  "honn his skilles" at the Old Towm School of music. He loved to fish and will be missed.

Sherrie Igoe (Dembrowski)

Norman Swanson

Tom and I first met in kindergarten at Lincolnwood school and we became fast friends.  He became the brother I never had.  Even though we were in separate halls at ETHS, we hung out all the time.  He was so musically talented that even though he could not read music, all he had to do was hear a composition once, and he could play it  on the piano. What a talent. We fished together, chased girls together(unsucessfully), and lost all our money at our weekly poker games. He was the best friend a person could have..I will miss him.