Thomas Groth

I met Tom Groth through Shannon Blake, and for that introduction alone, I owe him more than I can say. What I didn’t expect was to be welcomed by a man and a woman—Tom and LaRue—who immediately treated me and my family not as visitors, but as kin. That kind of warmth doesn’t come from social custom; it comes from character. From depth. From love rooted in experience and loss, vision and conviction.

Tom was my mentor for a short time, but his impact will stretch far beyond that...

Thomas will be so missed! Such a brilliant artist and kind soul. He so loved his LaRue! RIP Thomas ❤

Thank you, Professor. You made me a better person.

I am very sorry to hear about Tom's passing. Tom helped hire me as an Assistant Professor at UWF in 1993. It was my first academic appointment, and I was fortunate to have him as a mentor. While his skills as a painter, illustrator and designer were immediately evident, it took me a little while to realize that Tom was also a very sharp strategic thinker. He was kind enough to get me involved as a co-advisor to the UWF NSAC team in 1996 and 1997. Watching Tom in action was a great learning...

Tom and I worked closely for several years in the Department of Communication Arts. He was a dear man with a staggering creative spirit. Rest in peace, Tom.