Your birding experience is still missed in Chicago, although you left behind many teachings and memories, including how to make the call of an Eastern Screech-Owl, the sighting of a Sutton’s Warbler, and more importantly, why someone should go looking for a Sutton’s Warbler, even if others wouldn’t count it. Thanks again, from me and Tobias.

Meanwhile, I’ve been madly making films, including “Race to Execution,” “Juror Number Six,” and about to launch, “Etruscan Odyssey.” Also put together a national symposium on Media and Human Rights last spring. Never a dull moment!

Jeremy just turned 18 and is in his final year of high school. He is an amazing artist — but nonetheless a teenager!

Much good cheer for your 50th and the next stage of the Life and Times of Tom deBoor!
Love,
Rachel Lyon and Jeremy Lyon Freedberg

I’m glad I got to know you through our work together in helping Pearson uncover opportunities to directly help college students through their academic pursuits and beyond. You thought deeply and passionately about these issues, and you were a great partner for me in teasing apart the wheat from the chaff. You helped me find the companies that we should look at, and you had terrific insights on what would work and what wouldn’t.

More than anything, you were great with people – whether it be internal colleagues who might have some political sensitivities to the work we were doing, or potential partners we were considering to work with. Your light touch combined with clarity of mind and unbridled enthusiasm made for a great combination.

I am indebted to you for your gracious efforts with Pearson, and I look forward to the chance for us to work together again.

Happy 50th, Tom!

Bill Hughes
Director, Business Development & Innovation
Pearson

I turned 50 almost exactly a year before you, and it’s no picnic. Actually, it’s a movable feast; enjoy!

You are an incredible talent, and have help set the path of online education. 2010 could be when it all starts to come together to dramatically change both K-12 and higher education, and I look forward to sharing your next decade, as a friend and colleague!

John

Tom is one of the most thoughtful educators I know and he has a unique ability to put in understandable terms very innovative ideas. Over the years, working with Tom has always been special as he brings to the conversation the right questions, creative ideas and the ability to always “think out of the box.”

— Bobbi Kurshan, Executive Director of Curriki – the Global Education & Learning Center

“A man’s age is something impressive, it sums up his life, maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles; illnesses cured, griefs and despairs overcome; unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves, a man’s age represents a fine cargo of experience and memories”

Ed and I hope you have many more memories to add to the cargo of life. HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Love, Sheila