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Haverford College University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania

Thomas Garbaty Obituary

GARBATY--Thomas J., 79, beloved father and grandfather, world-renowned Chaucer expert, esteemed teacher, and devoted friend, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at his home in Ann Arbor, MI. He was born in Berlin, Germany to Maurice and Gerda Garbaty-Rosenthal and raised by his father and stepmother, Ella Garbaty. Tom received his BA from Haverford College and his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania. Tom was a professor of Medieval English Literature at the University of Michigan for 30+ years. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his distinguished teaching and scholarly research. Although he was a modest man, his example of scholarship, enthusiasm, patience and love of his subject inspired many of his students. Tom authored the book, Medieval English Literature, which is still being used today in universities around the world. Tom is survived by his daughter Bettina Zolotariov (Zviki), son Michael (Heather), five grandchildren: Nicholas, Lital, Madelaine, Ori and Naomi and his beloved friend Marion Cook. A private memorial service was held for close friends and family. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to Haverford College (Haverford.edu) or United Jewish Appeal (ujafedny.org). Services entrusted to the Muehlig Funeral Chapel, Ann Arbor, MI.

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Published by New York Times on Aug. 9, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Garbaty

15 Entries

michael rothman

Planted Trees

David Morse

February 15, 2010

I was a student in two of Professor Garbáty's classes in the mid 1980s. He was one of the biggest influences on my academic life. He was a wonderful teacher, but what I most remember was his deep concern for his students. He was the first college professor I had who truly went out of his way to help students individually. His influence also helped steer me toward a PhD in medieval literature. I am a professor myself now, and I often remember Professor Garbáty and try to follow his example in dealing with my own students. I am very fortunate to have known him.

Michael Delahoyde

November 28, 2009

An annual holiday card and letter from me to Tom went out today just before I read the UM English newsletter and learned of his death. I am heartbroken. He was the best teacher of my graduate studies throughout the '80s. I still repeat many of the funniest and most brilliant quotations from him in my own classes now.

andreas Henseler

November 27, 2009

Hello!
I am very sorry to hear about this.
I had contact to him concerning the manufacturing of his family in Berlin.
I found some originals signs from his former Garbaty - factory, some of them I have sent him.

With kind regards from Germany
Andreas Henseler
[email protected]

Sandra Malard

August 18, 2009

I met Tom when I was a graduate student at the university, from 1968 to 1972. Although I did not study with him, I knew Tom to be a man of great integrity and serious scholarship, and one who took delight in his calling, in his students, and in his friends. Over the years, I came to know Tom quite well. He was my guest lecturer at a medieval symposium at Haverford College (and was thrilled to return to his beloved alma mater), and I saw him often on my visits to Ann Arbor over the years. I think Tom made everyone he knew feel as if being in his/her company was simply the most wonderful thing that had happened to him that day. What a rarity to know a man who took such delight in simple pleasures and so enjoyed the company of his many friends. This dear and generous man, full of wonder to the end, will be missed, but remembered with love.

Marcel Gutwirth

August 13, 2009

Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:38:25 -0400

Tommy was one of my first students at Haverford College, where I arrived direct from graduate school (he was infinitely intrigued when I interrupted my teaching for a day to go take my Ph.D. orals in New
York!) What made us friends -- not too distant in age, to begin with -- was a quality in him of gentle wonderment at all that the world had to offer, together with an unreserved confidingness that
made mutuality easy to establish. We re-connected in old age, and none of that quality seemed to have been lost. That offered the boon to us both of a year's correspondence. I grieve at the loss.

Marcel Gutwirth

Steven Poulos

August 10, 2009

Tom Garbaty was one of my two truly outstanding undergraduate professors at UofM (early 1960s). He gave me an appreciation for Chaucer and early and medieval English literature that I never lost although I never went further with English lit. Tom and I became personally friendly though I was a mere junior, then a senior. And newly married at that time, he invited me more than once to dinner at his house. When Bettina was born, the thrilled parents invited me over almost immediately and I think I can still visualize a hand-knitted little blanket that I brought for her. I believe I only went to visit them once after graduation. He was a wonderful person who could make middle English both fun and believable and he was most generous to me, personally and academically. To read about his past in this obituary, the comments from Berlin and from his friends has been enlightening and heart-warming. My sincere condolences to Bettina and her family.

Deborah and Hermann Simon

August 10, 2009

Tom Garbáty will be fondly remembered by his friends in Berlin, the city where he was born in 1930. His grandfather was a prominent businessman in the district of Pankow, where he founded and ran a cigarette factory. The Garbáty company was famous for the exemplary way they treated their workers. Thanks to the family's philanthropy, a Jewish orphanage was founded in Pankow in 1913. The building, which survived World War II,now houses a public library. A square in Pankow has been named after the Garbáty family. In 2001, a society of freinds of the former Jewish orphanage was founded. From the beginning, Tom was helpful and generous with his time and supported us whenever he could. He will be warmly remembered by all the members of the Jewish Orphanage society, a group with whom he worked closely to preserve the memory of his grandparents in Berlin. Due to Tom's generosity, it was possible to have the original lettering over the entrance of the building restored. All of his friends in Pankow will remember Tom's visits here and the many stimulating conversations we had.

Emily Cloyd

August 8, 2009

As the first tenured woman in the English Department, I found in Tom the longest and truest friend I had at the University of Michigan. After he retired, until nearly his last days, he regularly joined Earl Shulze’s widow (Aileen) and me to draw and paint in my basement on Thursday nights. For many years, Earl and Tom were not just office mates but best friends, and Tom would not wish to leave us without some mention of Earl. For years to come, memories both of the joy of knowing Tom as a friend and of his exceptional generosity as a scholar will bring quiet pleasure to those who knew him.

Angil Tarach

August 6, 2009

It was our privilege and honor to know Tom and assist him for the time we did. He was a wonderful man that is close in our hearts.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
All of us at Visiting Angels

Tish Lehman

August 5, 2009

Tom taught me Sir Thopas many years ago, but my favorite memory is one I reminded him of last time we talked, a couple of months ago. Some thirty years ago, at the Medieval conference at Kalamazoo, a fiery young feminist had just given a paper challenging the classic interpretation of one of the Canterbury tales. Then Tom got up and presented...a classic interpretation opposite to what she had just said. By the time he finished reading his paper, they were smiling at each other and patting each other's hands comfortingly. That was Tom Garbaty. Nobody could ever stay angry with him.

B.j. Castleberry

August 4, 2009

Tom was a dear friend to me, he gave me many memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It was a pleasure to spend the days with him over these last two years.

James McIntosh

August 4, 2009

Tom welcomed me generously when I first joined the department in 1976, and was a welcome presence always afterwards. I greatly valued his kindness,wit, and humor. His family will know how deeply he was appreciated by his department at Michigan. - Jim McIntosh, Ann Arbor.

Barbara O'Donnell

August 4, 2009

August 04,2009 Tom was a warm caring person. He had a heart of gold.
Rest in peace Tom.
Barbara O'Donnell,Ann Arbor, Michigan

Peter Schork

August 3, 2009

Tom was a wonderful man, whose smile and warm handshake will be forever in my heart. He was generous with his time and his real interest in his friend's activities and families was both unique and deeply appreciated. My family was lucky to have him as our friend for many memorable years.

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