Thomas A. Roberts, 70, passed away November 24, 2017, from Parkinson's Disease, at home surrounded by family. Born and raised in Boston, Tom graduated from Harvard University and then joined the U.S. Army where he served as an intelligence analyst translating Arabic documents. Feeling a deepening dissatisfaction with the course of his professional life, he turned to conservation and natural resources management. Tom earned a Master's of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

During his distinguished career as a wildlife biologist in California, he served over ten years as a biologist, land manager, and planner for the U.S. Forest Service in Southern California and the Sierra. He took a year to develop Bedouin sheep grazing regimes in the Kingdom of Jordan before moving back to Santa Cruz in the early 1990's to work at BioSystems, Inc. Tom capped his professional career as Environmental Science Associates' biological resources director in the Bay Area from 1994 until his retirement in 2012. Tom was a dedicated member of the Wildlife Society. A Certified Wildlife Biologist with TWS since 1984 he maintained the highest personal and professional standards.

Tom was a passionate sailor and boat builder. As a young man he built a sailboat and later sailed his wooden boat throughout the San Francisco Bay and along the California coast. He was a gifted storyteller and published author of both fiction and non-fiction. He received two Edgar Award nominations for Heart of the Dog and Beyond Saru. When Tom wasn't working, thinking about work, sailing or writing he was an avid film critic and football fan.

He is survived by his wife Mary, son Jason W,, sister Susan R. Boyle (Boston), nephew Colin Boyle (Boston), and sisters-in-law Theresa Moore (Willits) and Frances Boland (Sacramento). Tom will be greatly missed for his wit, sense of humor, and love of family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held January 6, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Walnut Creek Civic Park Community Center, Walnut, Creek. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in care of a scholarship program being set up in his name with the Western Section of the Wildlife Society.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Dec. 10 to Dec. 17, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Roberts

6 Entries

justin grimes

July 14, 2023

grew up with tom on cape cod. always creative

Sam Griffin

January 24, 2023

I knew and worked with Tom during his "Analyst" days in the Army Security Agency. He was always intellectually curious and absolutely brilliant with a rapier-loke wit and sense of humor. I knew of his career post military. I grieve for his family's loss but rejoice at their wonderful and warm memories of him.
Sam Griffin

Gin Ingram

August 11, 2020

I am so sorry to hear at this late date that Tom has passed on. I had not been in touch with him in some time. I knew about Tom's love of boats and book writing through biology colleagues. It's amazing to read of all the things he's done in his lifetime. I met Tom early in my career looking for any kind of biology job. Another biologist told me to call Tom because he was someone that liked to help people. Over the years he put me on a few contract jobs, gave me the opportunity to interview at ESA and most importantly provided a guiding light and career advice. Though Tom was responsible for supervising biologists under his direction at work, he still went out of his way to help me any time that I called. Often I let him know how much I appreciated his help, though I always got the impression he thought it wasn't anything much....yet it truly was to me. I spoke w/ Tom last after his retirement in 2012. I was still bugging him for direction and advice and he joked that he was now "just the doorman for the cat." What a difference he made in my life.

My sincere condolences to his loved ones.
Gin Ingram

Carl Thelander

March 28, 2018

I just learned today of Tom's passing. My deepest condolences to his family. I knew Tom from his Forest Service years and the years he worked for me at BioSystems as a close colleague. Such a great guy - a gentleman - a wonderful sense of humor, and a serious appreciation of life and all that goes along with being engaged in one's surroundings. I still have my signed copies of his books. Over the years I have thought of him often. His name came up just today while in a meeting with an ESA biologist. Such a sad loss. Best regards, Carl Thelander

March 19, 2018

I am so sorry for your loss. Please find peace and comfort in knowing God cares for you and will help you in your time of need. 1 Peter 5;7

December 16, 2017

My condolences to the Roberts family. May the peace from God be with you during this difficult time.

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