Thomas D. Eshoo

Tom met Lisa when they worked together at Thresholds in Chicago, and they married in 2002.

Tom was a first-generation Assyrian-American. He grew up in the city’s South Side Englewood neighborhood. His mother had arrived to the U.S. after having escaped persecution in Iran by the Ottoman Turks during World War I. His uncle served as the patriarch of the family at the time, supporting them for many decades. “Uncle Tommy” lived with his extended family for many years. He cared for his uncle and then his mother as they grew old.

Tom’s life was strongly sustained by his Christian faith, and he frequently referenced Scripture to inform his experience, earning him the moniker “gasha” (Assyrian for “priest”) by some. He was often asked to pray at family gatherings and periodically held biblical fellowship sessions at his home with friends. He was highly empathetic to people in need, and kept cash under the sunshade of his car to give to those asking for help—bearing in mind Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Midway through high school in Chicago, he moved with his parents to Indiana, graduating from Knox High School in 1961. There he played football and developed lifelong friendships. Tom was known as a cheerful person and was voted “most witty” by his classmates in his high school yearbook.

In 1964, he moved back to Chicago to work in the Marshall Field’s record department, and then at Skokie Valley Hospital in the 1970s. In the 1980s and ’90s he worked at Council for Jewish Elderly. He was well regarded there, and his administrator at the time would often say, “Give it to Tom—he’ll get it done.”

Tom enjoyed watching old movies, including classics from literature and biblical themes. His favorites included Lawrence of Arabia, Ben-Hur, and The Ten Commandments.

He once shared that he “did not know how to read” until he was 27, but he made up for it along the way, acquiring a substantial collection of biographies and books on acting, ancient Babylon and Assyria, and biblical themes. He also had a strong interest in writing. He took writing courses via Christian Writer’s Institute, and as a young man penned a semi-autobiographical story titled Jonah, a Modern Day Ninevite. He also wrote articles and movie reviews for the local Knox newspaper.

A longtime music fan, Tom loved listening to and singing along with a wide range of genres, including opera, musicals, and popular tunes from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. He also enjoyed old-time radio shows, such as Jack Benny, as well as Christian programs. He and Lisa went on many travel adventures, including train trips to California, whale watching, and excursions to his beloved Indiana.

Along with his wife, Tom is survived by his loving sister Georgette Joseph, dear nephews David (Karlene) and Daniel Joseph, and numerous great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Margaret and Absalom Eshoo, his uncle Michael Marogol, his brother-in-law Sam Joseph, his nephew Daniel’s wife Diane, and many beloved cousins with whom he grew up.

An informal graveside gathering will be held at Elmwood Cemetery in River Grove on Friday, January 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Salvation Army or a charity of your choice.