J. Thomas "Tom" West 71, of Westport died suddenly Thursday, May 19,
2011 at his home. Prior to retirement, Mr. West was chief technologist
at Data General Corporation.
He was a graduate of Amherst College. After college he worked at the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory designing, installing and
synchronizing clocks at observatories around the world. He went on to
work at RCA where he taught himself the skills needed to be a computer
engineer and then moved on to Data General to be a development team
manager.
While at Data General he developed a 32-bit minicomputer, the project
and his role in it became the subject of Tracy Kidder's Pulitzer Prize
winning book The Soul of a New Machine. He retired to Westport where
he enjoyed sailing, tinkering with computers, and spending time with
his family and friends. He was a regular fixture at Marguerite's and a
keen observer of local weather and tides. He could often be found
watching the birds on his back porch and listening to Irish folk music
with his pets.
Survivors include his daughters Katherine West of Stow MA and Jessamyn
West of Randolph VT and his sister Terry West of Santa Fe NM.
Those wishing may make a contribution to the Coalition for Buzzards Bay.
Private arrangements will be held.
Interment in Beech Grove Cemetery,
Westport.
Please join us for an informal celebration of the life and times of
father, friend, sailor, technologist, perfectionist, pet-lover,
guitarist, star watcher, woodworker, magazine reader and good man in a
storm, Tom West. We miss him and we bet you do too. We had a small
private ceremony in May and, as Tom wanted, are having a shindig in
July.
Come share stories, food, and a nice summer day in Westport with Tom's
family and friends.
Date: Saturday July 23rd 2-6 pm
Location: Tom's house at 1655 Main Road in Westport, MA
Contact: email (Jessamyn) or phone 617-921-0113 (Kate) with questions.
Many people have known Tom at different points in his life and we've
enjoyed hearing stories about him over the past few weeks that we'd
never heard before. Tom was a man of many intense and varied talents
and interests. Hear Tom's folk music recordings! See photos of him in
foreign lands! Watch videos of his Data General speeches! Read
letters from Pan-Am welcoming him into the Clipper Club in the early
60's! Marvel at his meticulously organized basement! We would be
honored if you would share this occasion with us.
Please bring yourself and your family and friends, and a photo to scan
or a memory to share if you feel so inclined. Feel free to forward
this to people who knew Tom and who we may not have known to contact.
RSVP not required but it will help us decide how much food to make.
We'll provide food and soft drinks, feel free to BYO for anything
else.
Parking in the driveway is limited. Please park on the street in front
of the house or make arrangements with us if you need a ride from
plane, train or bus. We would like everyone to attend who wants to be
here and can help with arrangements.
If you can't make it in person, please consider sharing memories of
Tom on a site we set up here:
http://1000memories.com/tom-west
Thank you.
Jessamyn and Katherine West