Thomas Earl Hoke

March 21st, 1951 - April 25th, 2017

Thomas's Memory Wall

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I am still hurting from the passing of my good friend Tom Hoke. I can't say enough good things about my dear friend. We both attended Alma College (Michigan) and became good friends when we played football for the Alma Scots and joined Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was a tremendous athlete--earning all league honors in 1971, helping us to three MIAA championships 1970-72. He was an outstanding shot putter on the track team. I thought I was a good racquetball player but I could never beat him. I didn't like it but didn't mind because he was my friend. I was glad he was "on our side." His athletic prowess was admired by many. I was in awe watching him, about 215 pounds, all muscle, run the 100 yard dash as fast as any halfback on our team.. He was a "man's man--I never saw anyone who could beat him in arm wrestling. Even with his superior athletic skills, he never gave the impression that he was better than anyone else. He was a leader and made every team he was a member of, achieve more than they thought they could achieve. I benefited by being a member of the what some others described the friendship between three guys--the "three stooges"--Tom Hoke, Bob Blanton, and myself. These two guys raised my level of competitiveness on the football field--they were so good, I had to perform. I couldn't let them down. Although he lost classroom hours at Alma College due to his leg injury, he persevered and earned his degree at Alma. He was highly intelligent and used his skills to become a top public school educator and administrator. Most of all, he was a loyal friend. He had the gift of hospitality that he inherited from his parents. I'll never forget this gatherings he hosted of his closest college friends at his home in Bloomingdale, and by the swimming pool at his parent's home, even at his house when he lived in Manistee. I was next to him at the dining table at Hamilton Commons, Alma College, when he told me, "I'm going to ask that girl out". I looked at her and agreed that doing that was a good thing to do! Of course, the girl was the beautiful Sheryl Esterly who was working for Saga Foods! She later became his wife. Tom and Sheryl attended our wedding and Bev Marusak and I attended his and Sheryl's. Tom and I spoke over the phone about a week ago, and talked about Bev and I coming up to see him and Sheryl when we traveled to Michigan this summer. Most of all, I will miss his sense of humor when we reminisced about our days at Alma. We had a funny nickname for just about everyone! I will miss him. As a fellow believer in Jesus Christ, I will look forward to seeing him in heaven--John 14: 1-4