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Thomas Tutko Obituary
Sept. 8, 1931 - Nov. 6, 2014
Resident of Aptos
Thomas Arthur Tutko passed away peacefully on Thursday morning. He touched many lives through his energetic enthusiasm for life.
Tom was born in Gallitzin,PA and graduated from Gallitzin High School. He joined the Marines for a couple of years and then went to Northwestern University where he earned a doctorate in psychology.
He arrived at San Jose State University in September 1961 where he taught a variety of psychology classes. His students loved his classes and they nominated him for "The Distinquished Teaching Award."
Tom also had an exceptional talent for public speaking, was very humorous, dynamic, and had a passion for sports. Consequently, he did speeches all over the United States and other countries as well. He wrote five books and several papers, developed a psychological test, gave several thousand speeches, taught a hundred plus classes, and counseled athletes, teams, individuals and companies. He was on popular television shows such as the Johnny Carson Show and worked with teams such as the 49er's and the Miami Dolphins. During his 38 year career he literally touched the lives of thousands of people through his speaking and writing. He lived life fully!
Tom is survived by his loving wife, Kathy; devoted children Ann Phipps and Mark Tutko of San Jose, Jane Tutko Donovan of Danville, and Sharon Tutko of St. Louis, PA. He is survived by his grandchildren Natalie and Olivier Phipps of San Jose, Jasmine Donovan of Danville, Ari and Effie Tutko of Bellevue, WA, Sonia Tutko of San Jose, and Simon Avrushenko of St. Louis, PA and one great grandchild Ernest Dorcich of San Jose. He is survived by his step children Chad Payton of Aptos and Travis Payton of San Jose and step grandchildren Quemille Caldwell of Antioch, Skyler and Kayden Payton of San Jose and two great step grandchildren Wayne and Willow Hayes of Antioch. He is also survived by his sister Rosie Benzie of Gallitzin, PA. And last but not least, he is survived by his beloved caregiver of seven years, Jose Alvarez Zamora of Aptos. Tom's humorous, energetic, enthusiastic spirit of joy for life will always be endearingly remembered and bring a sparkle to those of us who knew him.
Private memorial services were held.
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Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Tutko
Sponsored by San Jose Mercury News.
Victor E Lindal
November 12, 2021
Thomas had a profound effect on my coaching. I had him do a sports personality evaluation of my Canadian women's Volleyball team. The work he did had a profound impact on my coaching
Ron Davis
October 28, 2020
Dr. Tutko and his presentations about children/youth in sport have stuck with me for almost fifty years. RIP
Ron Usher
September 9, 2018
I took every class I could from Dr. Tutko at SJSU. I loved him. Very funny, motivating, and a great teacher. I think of him frequently.
Neal Burgis, Ph.D.
August 20, 2018
I remember Thomas as my professor at Psychological Studies Institute in Palo Alto, CA where he taught psychological testing courses. He made it extremely enjoyable.
Victoria Shiffer-Wall
July 18, 2018
I experienced Dr. Tutko through sports psychology workshops in the 1980s. What a gift in my life and the athletes I coached. His book Sports Psyching I made into a curriculum added to my top athletes with magnificent results. I thank God for the Dr. Tutko's amazing work that has been the best psychology I ever experienced psychology with measurable results. I refer to him as the Father of Sports Psychology' what a gift he was to all who experienced this lovely man, wonderful teacher and coach. I refer to Dr. Tutko's influence regularly.
Dale
November 23, 2017
Tom was an achiever and an inspiration to all .
Vic Lindal
December 2, 2016
Truly an inspiration
I fondly remember his many presentations in British Columbia. When did the evaluation of my players it had a profound effect on my coaching
Vic Lindal
July 22, 2015
Tom was my neighbor and my play mate. We will always remember him fondly.
Evelyn Villarreal McIntyre
December 8, 2014
He was the greatest..
December 6, 2014
Tom exerted enormous influence on my career. During my undergraduate years, he was an always available and willing advisor and allowed me to accompany him on some of his professional ventures (e.g., local talks) and some lighter activities (e.g., play in the regular weekly faculty basket ball games). It was through him that I applied and went to Northwestern University for graduate school. He must have made a special appeal to make that happen and his advisors were still at NU when I arrived.
Tom was wonderfully encouraging, an inspirational model, and deeply engaged in his work and life. What a privilege for those of us who shared his time and space.
Alan Kazdin
New Haven, CT
Richard Gambatese
November 26, 2014
Tom was a huge influence on me when I was both an undergrad and grad student in Pyschology at SJSU in the 1970s. He was very supportive of me and we became friends. We stayed in contact after my graduation. I have thought of him often and am saddened by his passing. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.
David Furst
November 20, 2014
I had the pleasure and privilege for many years of team teaching Sport Psychology with Tom while both of us were at San Jose State University. He was always a very supportive colleague and a great lecturer. He made important contributions to the field of Applied Sort Psychology during the early years of the discipline. He will be missed.
steve Chappell
November 20, 2014
I only heard Dr Tutko speak once at a Youth Sports Conference - it was memorable , fantastic and insightful for intrinsic values of sport and play. A genius amongst us.. a legacy he left and i'm sure touched thousands in a forward thinking way ..
Howard Tokunaga
November 18, 2014
I was lucky enough to be a colleague of Tom's at SJSU. I will always fondly remember many mornings by the mailboxes in which Tom alleviated my pre-tenure stress with animated conversations about the Giants and 49ers liberally sprinkled with his infectious laugh. That he took life as well as his amazing accomplishments with such a light touch was a gift to all those around him. Such a lovely, gentle man.
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