Dr. Thomas Joseph Nenon Jr.

MEMPHIS - Dr. Thomas ("Tom") Joseph Nenon passed away on April 4, 2025, after a battle with cancer.
Tom, a world-renowned philosophy scholar, was a fierce advocate, global ambassador, and avid fan of the University of Memphis where Tom served his students, colleagues, and community as a Professor, Dean, and Provost. To his friends, colleagues, family, and anyone else who had the pleasure of sitting across the table from him, Tom was a renowned storyteller, a human encyclopedia, one of Midtown's best home chefs, and a loving husband, father, and grandfather.
Dr. Thomas Nenon was born on August 6, 1951, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He grew up in Memphis with his parents, Thomas Joseph, Sr. and Patricia Nenon, and his seven siblings. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in 1969.
Tom attended Regis College in Denver, Colorado, where he majored in philosophy and joined the swimming, water polo, and track teams. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, Tom went to the Goethe Institute in Staufen, Germany, to train more extensively in the language of Kant and Hegel. Tom continued his philosophy studies in the master's program at Boston College.
Tom obtained his doctoral degree in philosophy in 1983 at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universitt in Freiburg, Germany, where he worked under the scholar Werner Marx. He focused on the work of Edmund Husserl, a phenomenologist, and soon became a distinguished expert himself on the subject, recognized across the globe as a thought leader on the structures of consciousness and subjectivity. He published more than three dozen research articles, edited or translated more than a dozen books, and was regularly invited to speak at annual conferences in Europe, South America, and East Asia where he made many friends.
While in Germany, Tom met Monika, the love of his life, who was pursuing a doctorate in German literature. Tom and Monika married in 1986 and welcomed their daughter, Christina, in 1989. Tom was an all-star dad and Christina's biggest fan and supporter, attending every soccer game and celebrating every personal and professional achievement.
Tom joined the faculty at the University of Memphis in 1985. He was promoted to associate professor in 1991 and to full professor in 1997. That same year, he took on a succession of executive positions in the Provost's office before becoming the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2013 to 2018. Tom became Provost in 2019, successfully steering the university to Carnegie R1 research status and navigating the unprecedented pandemic from 2020-2021. He stepped down as Provost in June 2022 and retired from teaching in 2024 but continued his research and directed his doctorate students.
During his time at the University of Memphis, Tom made study-abroad programs a priority. Having benefited from such opportunities himself, he understood the importance of "opening new worlds" to other students. He invigorated the international education office and changed the culture of the university, transforming it into an institution with global reach and influence. In addition to launching the Mainz-Memphis journalism exchange, Tom also led U of M's Philosophy Department in the Erasmus Mundus program and served as Director of International Programs.
Tom was passionate about recruiting and graduating more students with diverse backgrounds. He believed that education should serve all students and strived to make the University of Memphis a model for a thriving, robust urban research university in the 21st century. Tom also served on the
Executive Board of the Peer Power Foundation, which helps high school students succeed academically to realize their full potential.
Outside of work, Tom had many interests. He cared deeply about literature, history, and current events. Tom discussed these topics at his monthly book club meetings, over dinner with his family and friends, and with his colleagues. Tom's intellectual curiosity and appetite for knowledge was never satisfied with headlines-he devoured memoirs, newspapers, magazines, historical treatises, and books on travel so that he always knew the back story on any subject. Tom traveled extensively-as an invited philosophy speaker, as an ambassador for the university, and with his wife Monika and daughter Christina. Wherever Tom went, he always seemed to know the best place to enjoy a glass of wine and a good meal, and he never lacked friends and colleagues wishing to join him.
Tom was a gourmet chef in his own right. Having worked in a German restaurant while in graduate school, he prided himself on being a virtuoso-both in the kitchen and on the old PK charcoal grill his dad gave him. Tom could sear the best porterhouse in the city, patiently demonstrate the difference between a barnaise and a hollandaise sauce, and double-fry French fries so crispy and perfect his friends dubbed them "Tom Frites."
Tom was passionate about music and sports. He followed the Memphis music scene closely and knew many regular performers personally on Beale Street-where he regularly brought Christina back when she could still sit in his lap and dance with him by standing on his loafers. Tom played soccer with the Memphis blues twice a week for decades, retiring from the soccer pitch well after he retired from the classroom. As a lifelong Memphis Tigers basketball and football fan, Tom rarely missed a home game and passed his passion for all things Memphis on to his grandkids in Philadelphia who proudly rock their "Opa"-given Tigers and Grizzlies gear from afar.
Tom shared his generosity, competitiveness, and love for history and adventure with his grandchildren Henry, Sophia, and Claire. Most of his visits to Philadelphia required an extra suitcase for the many gifts he bestowed on the kids-history books, games like Stratego and chess, the aforementioned Memphis gear, and, of course, gummi bears.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Joseph Nenon (1925-1998) and Patricia Wrape Nenon (1928-2016), Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Dr. Monika Nenon (Memphis); his daughter Dr. Christina McClam, son-in-law, John McClam, and precious grandchildren Henry, Sophia, and Claire (Philadelphia, PA); and siblings/spouses Patricia and Coffee Miklos (Sequim, WA), Edward and Carroll Nenon (Memphis), Judy and John Girardeau (Gainesville, GA), David and Karen Nenon (Charlotte, NC), Philip Nenon (Helena, Montana)), Chris Nenon (Nickie deceased, Saint Johns, Florida), and Elizabeth Nenon (Jackson, MS), and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 13 from 4- 6 pm at Canale Funeral Home, 2700 Union Avenue Extended.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, April 14 at 10 am at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, 1695 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104 followed by the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue at noon.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Peer Power Foundation in his honor.
https://peerpowerfoundation.org/
Previous Events
Visitation
APR 13. 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (CT)
Canale Funeral Directors
2700 Union Avenue Extended
Memphis, TN 38112
(901) 452-6400
info@canalefuneraldirectors.com
https://www.canalefuneraldirectors.com
Funeral Service
APR 14. 10:00 AM (CT)
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
1695 Central Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
Burial
APR 14 (CT)
Memorial Park Cemetery
5668 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38120 To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Dr., please visit our Tree Store.