Honoring Tom Hunter

We are deeply saddened by the untimely death of Tom Hunter on June 20^th from a very rare disorder called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (www.cjdfoundation.org). I first met Tom when we were both giving keynotes at an AEYC conference in Pocatello, Idaho. There I saw firsthand how teachers, parents, and children were drawn to him. Tom touched many hearts as he went into schools and early childhood programs across the country with his guitar, stories, and songs. He made teachers feel valued, and he sparked their creativity. He gently nudged children into creating their own lyrics to songs he taught them, nurturing their self-confidence and making them laugh. Tom was part of several Teaching Strategies conferences, bringing songs to our joint keynotes and visiting the workshops. He delighted participants by making up songs on the spot to go with the content our trainers were covering. More recently, Tom developed a DVD of songs that inspire mathematical learning. That recording is now included in our math kits.

We have lost a very special person who contributed so much to our profession. He will be missed by all of those he inspired through his music, his stories, his passion for people and the environment, and his delightful sense of humor. During his illness, friends and family surrounded Tom with songs and love, so music continued to be a part of his life until the very end. His wife, Gwen, and his children, Irene and Aeden, are committed to keeping Tom's music and stories alive. We are as well, so we encourage you to visit The Song Growing Company Web site (http://www.tomhunter.com), where you can sample songs, order his wonderful CDs, and read inspiring stories by and about Tom Hunter.

Diane Trister Dodge