Tom Cuthbertson

CUTHBERTSON, Tom - Of Santa Cruz died October 9 at age 60 after an 11-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Throughout this struggle, Tom evinced all the characteristics that defined him throughout his life: energy, imagination, curiosity, sensitivity, and most of all the ability to embrace friends and family with his love and infectious personality. As a child Tom grew up on the Peninsula in the SF Bay Area. Tom's early years included many out door activities: tree climbing, swimming, building forts with friends; but all those paled when finally at the age of 10 he got a bike. His mother did not allow any of the children to ride bikes until they were 10. Tom's love affair with the bike was a major part of who he was for the rest of his life. Tom went to UCSC and was in one of the early graduating classes. While he studied German and went into a graduate program in this field, a year in Mainz, Germany convinced him that this wasn't a lifelong interest. Tom turned to writing and received an M.A. in English from SF State. Tom was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, and his alternative service in the old Santa Cruz County Hospital caring for the elderly and terminally ill men was a source of friendships, stories and concern for terminal care. The latter was a stimulus for the work he did with the Hemlock Society in the last decade of his life. Tom married Pat Zylius, also a Santa Cruz grad, in 1969 and settled in Santa Cruz. At this time Tom turned his love of bicycles into profit with Anybody's Bike Book, a book that launched at least a million bikes. It also provided Tom with the financial security to spend a lot of time at home to write more books, do photography, go bodysurfing, regale adults and children with his stories, and play with his two sons, Ian, born 1972, and Cory, born 1975. Play included riding bikes; and while Tom did some competitive riding, he preferred riding by himself or with friends on remote roads in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito County. "I'm going on a bike ride" could mean a two-hour loop out to Swanton Road or a 10-hour marathon to Big Sur. There were few back roads in Santa Cruz or Monterey County that hadn't felt the weight of Tom's bike! But Tom's love of cycling was not just a selfish pursuit; Tom was a passionate believer who wanted everyone to love cycling. Tom's friendly persuasion in the Santa Cruz area led to the development of the local cycle-cross scene, but also on a more mundane level, efforts and planning to encourage commuters to do it by bike! Tom's other passion was his Scottish "history," and he was an enthusiastic reciter of Robert Burns, a storyteller of old Scottish legends, and an enthusiastic Scottish dancer. He found great joy in dancing, as it was a perfect way for him to flirt and express his innate love for all partners and dance companions - as well as be the "class clown." Tom and Pat Zylius were divorced amicably in 1988, and in 1991 Tom married his second wife, Colleen Brokaw, whom he had met at Scottish dancing; their emotive dancing of the romantic Scottish Strathspey reportedly produced misty eyes in fellow dance enthusiasts! Tom found himself with a young family once again as Colleen brought two children to the marriage: Dylan Dickie at age 7, and Chancy Brokaw at age 6. Tom proved to be a great companion and parent to both of them. He had a special gift with children as he was never out of touch with his own inner child"! Aside from writing his own books, Tom also earned a living working as a paid storyteller, working briefly at the David Bruce Winery, tracking wild peregrine falcons in the wilderness, and for the last two decades of his life as a technical writer for software companies. Tom could miraculously turn computer jargon into readable prose. One of the joys of his final years was his grandson Aiden, age 5. Tom made sure that Aiden was bike friendly and riding at an early age. The two of them were able to enjoy some bike rides in the last few months of Tom's life. Tom leaves behind his widow Colleen Brokaw; step-children, Dylan and Chancy; sons, Ian and Cory; Ian's wife Nicole and grandson, Aiden; former wife, Pat Zylius; siblings, Janet Whitchurch, Jim Cuthbertson and Nancy Cuthbertson; and various nephews, nieces, aunts and cousins. Family and friends are invited to a memorial service on Friday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 900 High Street, Santa Cruz.