Thomas J. Bontly

I remember his classes so well after fifty years...always inspiring

I went fishing with Tom and our fathers in Canada in 1957. We took a train from Madison Wi to I believe mile post 210!

I recall my classes with Tom Bontly in 1973 so clearly because I learned so much.

It´s many years after Prof. Bontly was laid to rest, but I thought I´d pen these few lines. Never knew him personally but recently it came to my mind a short story I read in Boys´ Life magazine when I was 13. An hour of research on the Internet Archive discovered the issue of the magazine and the precise story, "The Coward," published in the December 1971 issue. And I find the author was Thomas Bontly. I´m 66 years old now and the story´s author himself has been gone over ten years,...

Tom Bontly was my first creative writing professor at UWM in 1973. I have a copy of his first book "The Competitor" on my desk.

As a writer I read passages from The Competitor for inspiration...

Our deepest condolences, and memories upon memories.

Tom was always someone I could count on to make me smile, to clear out the redundant underbrush from any conversation, and to impress me with his extraordinary talent. He will be much missed. Marilyn, please know that I'm thinking of you during this very very difficult time.

I happened to review my copy of The Competitor just this morning. I studied under Tom Bontly in 1973. A dozen books later, I believe he truly inspired my career.