In Memoriam: Thomas J. Speelhoffer
Thomas J. Speelhoffer, July 11, 1946 – April 7, 2025, son of Francis and Carolyn, beloved by oh-so-many, your memory is for a great big beautiful, exquisite blessing. We are going to miss you.
This will assuredly come as hard news for those who attended our White Rose conference in July 2013. Our beloved Tom Speelhoffer died on April 7, 2025.
I only learned of his death when I posted my annual “happy birthday” note last week. One of Tom’s friends let me know of Tom’s passing…
I first met Tom when the Fulbright Association added my name to the list of alumni living in greater Philadelphia. At the time, Tom was president of that chapter. From the first meeting, I knew I’d met a kindred spirit, an old soul whose values were refreshing, fun, and deep.
To begin with, as anyone who attended Fulbright meetings in the late 1990s and early aughts can attest, Tom knew the Very Best Restaurants. Chapter meetings were usually held in private rooms of those restaurants, with a special menu he would have selected. Never horribly expensive, but always, always good.
Once we learned how much our personal histories overlapped, we would often meet for coffee just to talk. He was also a Math-German person, teaching both Math and German in the Marple Newtown Square School District from 1971-2007. When he finally retired, he was the rare beneficiary of that school district’s massive bonus for not having missed a single day of teaching in thirty-six years.
In another small-world moment, Tom taught Math in Beeville, Texas from 1970-71, part of my family’s stomping grounds. He did so while volunteering for VISTA in South Texas. He was that sort of guy. He loved people. And he loved this imperfect country of ours.
By the time I met Tom, he had earned a Bachelor’s from Villanova, a Master’s from Marywood College, done postgraduate work at Temple University and West Chester University, was finalizing a second Master’s from Philadelphia University, studied French in Munich, done research under the auspices of the National Science Foundation, and taught in Remagen, Germany as a Fulbrighter. Before he turned 50.
During his various trips to Munich, he had (of course) learned about White Rose resistance. As we talked — and talked and talked — he was surprised, and yet not surprised, to learn that what he knew was all legend. Despite his optimistic nature, Tom was a realist who understood the problematic nature of postwar history in Germany.
He read my White Rose histories, cover to cover. Even before the histories were completed, we talked about my ongoing research. It meant a great deal to me when we’d occasionally brainstorm.
Tom also enjoyed and frequently talked about the translation work he did for German screenwriters and playwrights. One screenplay, Robert Sigl’s Pink Triangle Jew, combined Tom’s devotion to good storytelling, good historical research, and ‘getting the Shoah right.’
Even after I followed a job to the West Coast, Tom remained a loyal supporter of our work. He was the first person to sign up for our 2013 conference. His presence made a difference. He listened and responded to many discussions as a teacher would, thinking about student-related messaging, hearing Domenic or Igor or quiet-Dilya or Oleg or Harold or Kim with a student’s ear.
Tom, Domenic (Lilo’s grandson), Igor, Dilya, and Oleg lingered after the conference ended. We dined at Margarita Villa (a restaurant on the Ventura marina), and then a Brazilian restaurant in Ventura County. For the latter, once again Tom was the source of an inexpensive yet great meal. I think I had more fun watching Tom and Domenic! If you were at the conference, you’d understand. They had a special rapport.
The last ten years, our conversations became less frequent. When we did have the opportunity to talk, we’d pick up where we left off.
Thomas J. Speelhoffer, July 11, 1946 – April 7, 2025, son of Francis and Carolyn, beloved by oh-so-many, your memory is for a great big beautiful, exquisite blessing. We are going to miss you.
Signed, Denise, on behalf of Igor, Dilya, Oleg, Domenic, Harold, Kim, Terese, Tim, Mark, Tracy, John, Mike, Alan, Karen, Dan, Crispin, Gina, Steven, Carol, Wolfgang, Anika, Ed, Debby, Les, Cheri… God broke the mold when he made you.
© 2025 Denise Elaine Heap. Please contact us for permission to quote.
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RIP Thomas. He left the world a better place.