Thomas E. "Tom" Riniker

Hey Tom! A guy in the paper looked like you this morning and I thought about how much I still miss you. So many "special" days we spent together - including my favorite, the last day of school, aka "The Best Day of the Year"! I think of you often as I pass your house and go down to Lake Harriet. At times I swear I see you on a bike or rollerblades. Miss you friend!

Dear Tommer... Feb. 17, 2010

You've been gone for months.

I'm pausing to look at this site and see I have an opportunity to still say a few words, so I will. Ain't no forgetting you, dude...

We miss you at school. I still go to fetch a sandwich at lunchtime and the sandwich-makers at Subway still remember you fondly, as well as what you used to get on your turkey sandwich! Maybe I"ll buy the Riniker special tomorrow, with the "light stripe of mayo!."

I trained for the Twin Cities Marathon again last summer and each time I'd run my 11 mile route on the hills of the Theodore Wirth Parkway, I'd vigorously shout your name "RINIKER" as I'd climb the path to the top of Bog Hill. In fact, I'll never run that route and not shout your name. It's my tribute to you and I sense a connection with you. ... That's the same spot we took our student groups on some of those Friday Actvity outings.

Incidentally, when I ran the Twin Cities Marathon, back on Oct. 5, 2009, I passed the spot on the roadway by Lake Harriet, at the 6 or 7 Mile Mark, where you loyally rooted for me for the many prior years. In fond memory of you, I stretched one of the big husky brown rubber bands that you once brought to work for me, on the tip of my index finger and shot it into the wooded fray, complete with a love note from me, saying how much you are missed and how hard it is to "soldier-on" (your phrase), without out you in the mix.

I often recall your grand finale at the Lakewood Cemetery; that one Sat. morning in earlier May. Wow! Easily, one of the most momentous events I've ever known. Your surviving words on the placards and the foresight to do that in the living years, still stuns me.

So long for now my fine colleague and friend. We'll be in touch again down the pike. Bye. -J.V.

I still cant believe my brother is gone forever. Hope you are with dad and ever one else we know. God speed Tom til we meet again.
Your big sister SUE

Uncle Tom,
I will miss you more than you could ever imagine. I'm going to miss the our music/guitar conversations on the holidays. You are one of my biggest influences with music. Thanks for being the Best uncle ever!
P.S. Thanks for showing me my first Bar-Chord
Love You And Rock On FOREVER

Andy

Tom - you were a great neighbor and a wonderful friend. You touched many people's hearts, as evidenced by the standing room only crowd at your memorial service today. You sure could feel your presence there. Frank and I will miss you terribly.

Tom,
I did my best for you today. I'm sorry that I had a few moments when I could not hold back some emotion. Still, I think you knew that was bound to happen. I will miss you more than you can know.

Love

reynold

Tom, you were my all time favorite teacher at vector. It has been a pleasure to get to know you and be with you. I only wish you would have lived longer. We will all miss you dearly. The time i have been with you has been very special to me, you have taught me so much. I picked your classes so much because i enjoyed being with you. We will never forget you!

Well Tom, It was too soon. We were looking forward to seeing your Thailand and showing you our Africa. Such great plans. But we'll always have the memories of the life you shared with us. St. Cloud, Brainerd, Newport, Minneapolis. All that music, those ball games, the politics and your enthusiasm for it all. We often laughed with you, especially at your imitations of Colonel Klink. And we'll admit that we laughed a lot at how differently you saw things from how we did. You really opened our eyes up to the bigger world when we went with you to Australia. Thanks for being there through all the years. We miss you today. We always will . . ( Alan and Cindy Briesemeister)

From 1974 to now. What a great experience to know you Tom. What a great loss to not have you with us anymore.

I will remember you tom. You where a great teacher. I will miss you. you where a great current events teacher. Also hiking. I will miss your great since of humor. Oh yah you where you great budgeting teacher. You will be missed. i will miss your handsome face,
from kristen doppelhammer mound mn (wayzata mn Present)

I remember you were at the VECTOR. I had good time with you during current events classes at the VECTOR. It was the best thing in my life. I missed you alot. You are best teacher in the VECTOR.

I had a Tom as a teacher at Vector when I took his hiking class as a Friday activy,It was a fun class. He brought us to some fun reginal parks (like French park,Elm Creek,down by the mississippi.I learned alot from him while taking that activy. He was a great teacher,I will dearly miss him!

Tom, u r an awesome person when i first met u. U r so kool to hang out w. I miss our class trip to Wisconsin Dells. That's was so awesome tho. We all gonna miss you n we will be thinkin' abt u everyday. We all love you n u will be w us in our heart forever n ever. Rest in Peace!

Before Pat and I had any kids, Pat always said she wanted "6 little boys just like Mel." We had 3 sons that I believe lived up to that high standard.
I haven't seen Mel (Tom) for several years, the last time being at our last HS reunion in Red Wing. I was looking forward to seeing him again this year at the next reunion. I'm sorry that that will not be the case.

Tom and I have been great friends since the 7th. grade. He often refered to me as his best friend, which I take as a great compliment. We have shared many great experiences together over the last 45 years, and I will miss him very much.
I have very fond memories of the motercyle trip we made in 1973 to Strugis S.D. for the motor cycle rally. After Sturgis we continued on into the black hills, then to Yellowsone park and into Grand Teton national park and onto Glacier National park. On the way home Tom mentioned that we have traveled a long way without any mechanical problems only to have the chain break on his motorcyle only 20 miles from home.

I was a student of tom's at vector north, he was an awesome teacher! i will dearly miss him. he was so much fun when i took a current events class and we shared a lot of laughs along the way. he was one of a kind teacher where he was firm but kind hearted. he is a teacher that will never be replaced, and will always hold a legacy thru the millions of students lives that he touched.

tom will be missed very much he was a great guy and a good teacher

dan angier

Tom you and I have shared so many laughs over the the 3 years I have been at VECTOR. You taught me so many things that I will remember for the rest of my life. some of these things include how to "buy now and pay later" and why its good rule not to have pop in class unless it is in a bottle with a lid. I will miss you so much Tom. The lessons you taught me I will never forget. My favorite lesson I learned from you was how you taught us when staying in a hotel your supposed to walk out of the room backwards so you wont forget anything. I will never forget the time I put my chewing gum in the recycling bin with the pop cans.

Thank you for being one of my teachers here at Vector you have had a large impact on my life.