Dear Mrs. Kennedy: I am so sorry for your loss. You sure raised a beautiful man, and a good friend to me. He was so devoted to you, and spoke of you with so much love and warmth. I've known him for 18 years...I first met him in Houston during the Art Car Fest. I, too, have had several art cars so I would see Tom at least a few times a year, at various art car events. And it was more fun living in Bisbee when Tom lived there for a spell! He last visited me in Tucson about 3 years ago.... he decorated a car that you had given him w/ the words "Love Unconditional." Then he met Haideen, and I hadn't heard from him since then. I'm happy that he found true love.... he always seemed happy though. I included what I wrote on Laughing Squidd in Tom's honour.... they tell the story of the photos that I am sending you. I look forward to seeing your art project that you're making... and I hope to meet you during the memorial in Oakland on May 2nd. Much love, Colleena Hake (I am pictured in the photo w/ Tom.... I'm the solar-powered angel wearing a hubcap halo.) So sad to see Tom go…. the world won’t be the same without him. Besides enriching the art scene world-wide, he was also a great supporter of other artists. He coSo sad to see Tom go…. the world won’t be the same without him. Besides enriching the art scene world-wide, he was also a great supporter of other artists. He could be the most outrageous performer, as well as the most attentive audience. When he talked with me (or anyone), I always felt like he was totally present. Not given to distractions (though there were many), he gave me/you his all. He was very generous with his time as well. One time I was in a car accident and was unable to throw a birthday party for my daughter the next day. Tom (and Gretchen Baer) came to the rescue and picked up my daughters and their friends from school in Tom’s art car The One-Eyed Wonder. He took them up to the highest house on the hill in Bisbee where they shot twinkies out of the one-eyed missile shooter. Who knows where those twinkies landed! The girls loved the sheer ridiculousness of it. Years later, I took Tom to the Airplane Graveyard in Tucson, where airplanes go to die. Tom was in heaven amongst all these salvaged airplane parts. He got a good deal on some wings…. and strapped them on the top of his car. He had decorated his “too normal for Tom” car with some glittered writing on the hood. It said LOVE UNCONDITIONAL and that’s the last image I have of Tom…taking off for the next big adventure, with glitter flying in the air, and wings strapped on. Godspeed, good friend. Collen Hake
