THOMAS
ROBERT CICHANOWSKI
1945 – 2005
A Loving Tribute
" The swiftest thing to fly is the mind. Those
who know this have wings. "
— The Hopi Indians — (from Tom’s web
site)
|
Open Your
Imagination It's not very hard
to think of our world as a puzzle. |
|
A puzzle with more than one solution. Great fun
lies in discovering the various puzzle pieces and assembling them on the
puzzle board in our minds. In doing so, we achieve a deep understanding of
the workings of nature and the wondrous ways we have, of harmoniously
interacting with Her. |
Bob, Mike & Linda, Dave, Gerry, Mary, aunts and
uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, family, classmates and friends of Tom:
Saturday, on first hearing of
Tom’s illness, hospitalization and prognosis, I was … like most of you …
stunned. What? Say that again. I must have heard that wrong.
It was a piece of news that was just too large, too
incomprehensible. Almost didn’t make
any sense.
Reality
set in. Wow. Tom.
Really? Age 60. Damn.
The numbness caused by the news
soon turned to sadness … probably brought on by thoughts of Tom, thoughts of
his wonderful family, recollections of earlier days … and …probably by all the
things that have gone unsaid between us; all the things we should have done;
the time that flew by without the kind of contact and connection that we
enjoyed in our younger years.
Becky and I visited with Tom at
the hospital on Sunday. What a kind and
gentle man, projecting dignity and class even under those hospital circumstances. It was difficult for him to speak. We shared a few words, concluding our visit
conversation with, “We’ll see you tomorrow, Tom.” To which he softly replied, “If I’m still here.”
Monday
came and Tom left us.
Done too soon … way too soon.
But was it? Was it really done too soon? Maybe not.
Then brighter thoughts came to
mind.
·
Tom’s suffering was over
·
Lucy [mother] and Jean [sister] and Tom must be having one
heckuva time, together
·
And Tom could now speak, one-on-one, with the ultimate
“Higher Authority” on all matters of science, space, time, atomic structure,
physiology, health and healing … some of his favorite subjects.
I could just hear Tom, after a bit
of debate with the top authority, “Oh yeah … now I get it. You know, I’ve been working on that problem
for years. Thanks for the help on that one.”
The dominant visual image of Tom,
for me, was he in high school. Tom was
the Tim Taylor, Tool Time fix-it man for all things at the school. He was the only one who could figure out and
repair the school automatic clock system.
Tom redesigned the whole PA and intercom system. He ran wires everywhere, connected
everything to everything, bedazzled most with his inventions … all the while
reassuring Father McCauley, “Oh noooo … there’ll be no smoke or sparks … Trust
me Father … don’t worry.” And … in most
cases … Tom was right.
Tom was the creative and technical
genius behind the great DJ dances at the Rec Center. He had more equipment and more know-how than anybody. I remember slow dancing with Becky. Mmmmm … For that, I thank you, Tom.
When the school could not afford
to produce a yearbook … Tom, totally on his own, photographed and produced an
album of the Cotter faculty and staff, published the album and sold copies to
the class at his cost. What a guy. And you know, to this day, as we discovered
at our 40 year class reunion, Tom’s album has remained as the highly cherished
keepsake for all in the class and the only remaining touchstone of fond
memories … each forever frozen in time … through his wonderful and sensitive
photographs. John Nett, Father McCauley, Mr. Consodine, Sister Mark with the
white mouse. Thank you, Tom, from the
classes of ’63 and ’64.
Forty years ago, in our own
family, Tom captured what became the very best brides photo … on the day that
Becky and I were married. A year later,
Tom photographed our first-born. Rubber
stamped on the back of these treasured photographs it says, “Chick Photos, 602
Mankato, Phone 6673.”
Those were, “the Good Old Days.”
How do you describe or
characterize this genuine “man for all seasons”?
I started to compile a list of
attributes:
Brilliant
Creative
Inventive
Entrepreneurial
Genius
I stopped. These were all descriptors of his
terrifically robust mind.
Chemistry, mathematics, physics,
biology, physiology, electricity, electronics, kinetics, nutrition …
intellectual stumbling blocks for most of us … were just the appetizers on
Tom’s menu of disciplines over which he had achieved some high level of
mastery.
The thought that then came rushing
through was that Tom’s dominant characteristics … were those of his
heart and his soul.
Tom was a gentleman and a gentle
man. And at the same time, he was …
intense, passionate, courageous and fearless.
He would be sometimes in your face, but always in your defense … as he
applied his vast knowledge in heartfelt efforts to make your life better.
Tom lived always in the relentless
grip of an insatiable hunger for knowledge and discovery. Always in search for knowledge that would
make life better for those he loved and for all the others on the planet who
might never know him.
As Becky’s health stumbled for a
time, Tom focused on doing additional research and providing information that
could be helpful in alleviating discomfort and accelerating healing.
When on his mission, Tom wasn’t
shy either, nor was he bound by protocol or convention. When he wanted to talk, he’d race in, and
without sitting down, begin reporting on his findings and giving advice. This was Tom, selflessly demonstrating his
love for his cousin. It doesn’t get any
better or purer than that.
Done too soon? I think not.
Like it is for each of us, Tom’s
time on earth was defined at the moment his life was first imagined. So, he left us at the right time. It
was His time. But all of that doesn’t
make this moment easier for we who remain.
We know him. We love him and
we’re sure gonna miss him. I guess
that’s just natural.
In the first reading we heard, “But
the just man, though he die early, shall be at rest. For the age that is honorable comes not with the passing of time,
nor can it be measured in terms of years. Having become perfect in a short
while, he reached the fullness of a long career; for his soul was pleasing to
the LORD.”
In the second reading, we are
consoled further, with, “Let them find rest from their labors, for their
works accompany them."
And in the
gospel of this liturgy, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone
who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise
him (on) the last day."
On Monday, Father Dan gently and
lovingly shared a tiny bit of his experiences with Tom in the hospital. From Dan’s story, I am excited knowing that
we now have a genius saint in heaven. I
am also deeply relieved knowing that, “If God ever needs help solving any of
the world’s problems, he now has the top man, right by His side, to help Him
out.
And finally, Tom was
prophetic. Two great personal quotes
from his web site:
" Our Planet Will Know Peace ...
When Everyone's TRUE NEEDS are Acknowledged and
Fulfilled. "
— Tommy Cichanowski
—
And, and I think I like this one best…
I think its really neat to be able to sit back and
consider the years and say to yourself, " WOW, What a Grand
Adventure My Life Has Been !
— Tommy Cichanowski —
This eulogy was lovingly prepared
and delivered by our dear cousin Bud, to whom I am grateful for these beautiful
words and his permission to publish this on Tommy’s website.
Tommy, I
miss you.
Mary
Cichanowski