Thomas Gregory Robischon

1924 - 2014
A lifelong philosopher, radical thinker, writer, civil rights activist and advocate for gun control and choices in dying, Thomas Gregory Robischon passed away at his home in Los Angeles on September 24, 2014. He was 89.

Born in Kalispell, Montana on December 6, 1924, he enlisted in the navy right after high school and served as a radio engineer during the Battle of Tarawa in WWII. He later became an ardent war resister. An early opponent of red-baiting, his editorials in the local newspaper led to interest from the FBI and lost him a job at the local radio station. After attending Montana State University in Bozeman on the G.I. bill, Tom earned his PhD at Columbia University. He went on to teach philosophy at Amherst, Vassar, and Tuskegee University where he became active in the civil rights movement and joined the Selma to Montgomery marches. After moving to Los Angeles to teach at UCLA, he was involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and other social justice movements. He became a founding faculty member of Antioch University Los Angeles, where for many years he taught classes on the philosophy of death and dying as well as on the philosophy of love and sexuality. Many students praised him for changing the ways they thought about their lives, and teaching them new ways of thinking.

He is survived by his wife, Mariona Barkus, and son Noah Robischon. Contributions in his name can be made to Compassion & Choices https://www.compassionandchoices.or
g/what-you-can-do/donate/