Thomas Soybel

I had just noticed that my Facebook profile picture shows Thomas in the background. We were likely in kindergarten. This prompted me to once again try to find him. Google led me to the obituary.

I had heard that he had MS, but had not been able to track him down, and was not sure he would remember me, even though we were best friends through 3rd grade. I had moved to the NJ suburbs the summer of 1966.

We had spent many hours playing together, and I can picture one...

Thomas dressed like a preppy, even as a little boy. I remember his collared shirts, sweaters, tan cords, hush puppies and even a brief case.He was a gentleman and kind, but fiercely ready to challenge anyone intellectually. He loved the competition, especially Mr. Kretz's math journeys. I remember going to a Beach Boys concert with Thomas in 1972. It was my first stadium rock concert and it was amazing. When I hear Brian Wilson's music I am taken back to that magical night at Madison Square...

I remember a phase (in about 5th grade)when the girls decided that Jamie Barondess and Thomas had "grabbable ankles," and we would interrupt them as they were drawing quietly at their desks with our silliness. They always put up with us tolerantly and with real affection. Later, Thomas lent me "The Grapes of Wrath," and we talked about other books we both loved. I also remember our doing a surveying project together at Hawthorne Valley. Thomas was extremely helpful, and I enjoyed standing on...

I remember Thomas from High School as the boy who could do ANYTHING academic. He was a mediator for the class (most of the time.) He worked hard, was fiercely competitive, had a great sense of humor and was fair in the love and war of high school. Death is the great leveler and Thomas died too soon. My heart goes out to you, his family, and to his close friends. Thomas (I really think he was called Thomas in high school) will always remain the frank, caring teen that I knew.

Who I remember: a warm, humorous, kind of stuffy grandfatherly guy. The Senator for our class. Always very careful about not hurting anyone's teenage feelings.
I am so sorry for his family that he's gone.

Like all of the kids in our small class at the Rudolf Steiner School, Thomas was more like a sibling than just a friend. Memories of him between the ages of 5 and 18 still linger, even though I haven't seen him in over 20 years, and fond feelings for him remain in my heart.

I remember him as fiercly competitive, eager to learn, smart, proud, and very capable. He marked his place in the back row of the classroom, and tipped his chair back with an air of complete confidence.

I met Tom when we were both first year law students at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC in 1979! He was the highlight of my year---- bright, quick, funny and far more worldly than me! When we needed to escape the law library we would find a way to go listen to music or take a walk and critique DC architecture. Tom was intellectually curious about the world and I think I served as his "Midwesterner" to study---actual entertainment for a New Yorker! He loved...

I'm an alum of the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC (class of '77) I remember Thomas well from many assemblies and other school functions. My condolences to his family on their loss.

Tommy was one of my best friends in high school and I spent many hours at his house. When I was about 13, having spent the night at the Soybel's, I found about $14 which his sister Carol had slipped in my coat pocket to help me get a dog (which I did). Tommy and I had a healthy and gregarious academic and physical rivalry all through high school. Tommy was strong and I was fast, attributes we tested daily in the high school we were both sure we owned. I have thought of Tommy often since...