Tom Peine Eulogy

by Victor Kubik

Tom PeineI was not able to be at Tom Peine's funeral as I had a complex trip to Australia and New Zealand to leave on on March 3, 2015.

But, I did write a eulogy of which much was read at hisn funeral in Indianapolis. I published a blog about the eulogy as well at http://www.ucg.org/blog/leaving-legacy-love/

Here is what I wrote:

Knowing Tom Peine and his wife Sue for more than 20 years has been one of the most joyous experiences of my life. I cannot tell you enough about how much he has enriched me and those I work with. I want to tell you why.

My first recollection of Tom Peine was from a Ministerial Refresher Program in Pasadena where Tom came up to me after a lecture I gave in about 1992 or so.  I remember well him giving me his Peine Engineering business card and telling me he was from Indianapolis and that he knew my friend Mike Snyder and how he appreciated my lecture. He made it a point to become acquainted.  

About three or four years later, in March 1996, Bev and I were transferred to Indianapolis.  I became reacquainted with Tom at a Zionsville Community public music event.  In the course of conversation Tom invited Bev and me to dinner to their Indianapolis home which was only a ten minute walk from where we lived. 

Dinner was great, but even greater was the special Peine tour that he gave us afterwards. He wanted to show us Indianapolis in a way that most people don’t experience.  He drove us by famous houses, like the Lilly mansion near the Art Museum, churches and businesses where Peine Engineering had installed elaborate commercial air conditioning systems.  He would talk about the people he met. Particularly interesting was his encounter with the Lilly family. Shortly after that Tom started attending church with us and we quickly became very good friends. 

Tom was always interested in life and all its curiosities. Tom became a regular speaker in our congregation. His messages were interesting as he saw life in a much bigger way than through predictable cut and dried formulas.  His love and grasp of human relationships was amazing as he always sought to help people who were challenged or who were challenging themselves -- whether they were children, teens, young adults or elderly. He always sought how he could help them break through their personal limitations. He understand God’s grace and love for mankind and was an enabler of what people could become. He was a helper of challenged people’s joys – even those who were greatly challenged and who needed extra support and understanding. From Tom I learned how God loves us in spite of our faults and shortcomings.  

He was faithful to God in his personal life and in his role as an elder in the Church.  He believed in God, but he also believed in what people could become.

I heard about Tom’s starting a Boy Scout troop and becoming a silver beaver. This is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America given to adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not actively seek it.

When I started LifeNets, a non-profit organization to help the vulnerable and disadvantaged Tom immediately took an interest.  He joined our board of directors and became our second chairman, a role that he held to the end of his life. He was at our last board meeting about three weeks ago. 

On the board he was an enabler. His personal philosophy was always how to enable the project directors to do their jobs the best way possible for the most people. He recognized nonsense and charted a sensible course in human relationships.

Tom was always a generous person giving support to LifeNets and various community entities such as the Indianapolis Zoo.

One of our high points in life was travelling together to the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident in 2003.  It’s not exactly the place that most people would choose for a vacation getaway in January, but Tom was up for that. Included in the group was his grandson Jonathan who he wanted to experience and do research for a video for which he won an award. His son-in-law Malcolm also came. We all experienced what few people do. We were led by a renowned Ukrainian pediatrician who treated some of the first children victims of the accident 17 years earlier.  Tom relished walking through the town of Pripyat and exploring the abandoned apartments of workers, including the director or the plant. Tom provided not only support, but mixed socially in a most entertaining way with our hosts in Ukraine. 

His place of business became a staging area for two 20 ton container shipments to Ukraine. We collected high value equipment, beds and supplies and shipped them via a State Department program to our needy Chernobyl recipients.  He and his grandson Jonathan took a truck up to Michigan to haul 20 used beds to go to hospitals in Ukraine.  Tom was always generous with us by letting us use his truck to haul equipment and supplies for LifeNets shipments overseas.

When the second container was about to be packed up and shipped in 2004, Tom suffered a stroke.  While still in the hospital he told all of us to not delay shipping the container.  Life must go on. We must go on!  He wasn’t thinking of himself.  He had a special unselfish love for mankind that is so rare. All who he touched know that in a deeply personal way.  I sure do and will miss it dearly.

I feel badly that I cannot attend Tom’s funeral because I have a heavily scheduled trip to Australia and New Zealand at this moment. But, I know that that if Tom were here, he would say GO.  Go do the work that needs to be done.  I am here with you, Tom, in heart and spirit. 

In our Church, Tom was always a serving participant. He was loved by all ages.  Children particularly loved him.  He was a great master of ceremonies of church talent shows always doing something particularly creative. 

We will miss you, Tom.  The memory of your impact on the lives of so many makes us smile even now.  The last thing that Bev could say to you the day before you died was “I love you.”  You were able to say that in return. We leave on these words until we meet again in the Kingdom of God where opportunities for your service will be in even greater demand.  But, now your rest until you hear the voice of your Savior again……

 

MORE about Tom

Below ares some of the links from my websites to notable events that intersected with our lives in almost the 20 years that we have known Tom.

-Victor Kubik

 

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