It was with shock that i just read of Tom's passing in the Brandeis alumni magazine. Tom was a friend from another era.., a recent Heller grad  joining the faculty of 'the college of human services' at Brockport. Tom was a mentor and friend to three 'young' first time teach faculty members. H is humor was  constant, his discipline in teaching a model  to learn from, and his friendship.. and that of Gail genuine. Over the years since the mid 70's our paths have crossed... but alas, not often enough. He is missed.

Tom was one of those unusual men who tried to make you his friend  by relating to you.  When we first met 20+ years ago he shared he had taught at Brockport State because he knew I was from that area. He actually got me involved with Faith Action International House which was an excellent experience for me and helped me find a comfortable place in retirement by giving me a direction for me to work at.  Nancy & I always considered him to be close although we did not see him that often. 

I met Tom Scullion when I interviewed for an assistant professor position in the department of social work.  He noticed I had studied abroad in France and asked if I would be interested in becoming the coordinator of the exchange program with what was then the Department of Social Work at Jordanhill College, which was later merged with the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, Scotland.  This was one of the things that helped me decide to accept the offer to work at UNCG as I recognized the incredible difference study abroad makes in the lives of students who have the opportunity.  This program that Tom and Andrew McMaster, chair of the Jordanhill department, began eventually led to the first university-to-university level international educational exchange agreement at UNCG. Over the years, around 75 UNCG students studied in Scotland, and around 30 Scottish students came to UNCG to study in alternate summers. After his retirement, Tom created a departmental fund that supported student and faculty travel to participate in study abroad.  His dedication to providing these enriching, live-changing experiences has left a lasting legacy in the Department of Social Work and UNCG.

Elizabeth Lindsey, Professor
UNCG Department of Social Work




As a fellow social worker, I met Tom before I moved to Greensboro at a national conference.  I knew at that time that I would be moving to Greensboro and Tom offered to introduce me around when I got here.  Tom did just that, introduced me to his golfing buddies, Roch, Milt,and Charles Kim.  We had many fun times, playing at most of the courses beween Virginia and Asheboro.  I learned that Tom was a delightful companion on and off the course, full of good humor.  Coming from similar backgrounds, we had many things in common.  We became friends off the course, and got to know Gail, met some of his family.  I will remember him as a man with great compassion, a lover of humanity and music.  I am glad I had the oppportunity to get to know him.  He will be missed.

Friend, colleague, inspiration, guide, teacher, Tom was all of these and more.  Tom was a man of imposing stature but even more striking was this gentle giant’s ability to understand subtle complexities, his patience, his empathy, his kindness, his verbal ability and the pleasure he took in exercising it—a pleasure readily embraced by his listeners.  I had the privilege of knowing him professionally, as a fellow department head at UNCG, where I observed his tenacity and powers of persuasion as he established links with social work scholars at Scotland’s Strathclyde University and successfully led UNCG’s effort to join with A&T University in establishing a joint Masters in Social Work, the first such joint program between the two universities.  
A man of great perseverance, he very kindly led me through the early stages of learning the game of golf, the high point of which was an outing he and I had as guests of his son Chris.  The small group of golfers that developed from these early outings eventually formed the nucleus of a regular coffee meeting on Tuesday afternoons.  When these gatherings resume after the coronavirus interruption, we will miss his thoughtfulness, his humor and, yes, the acerbic wit of this joyfully serious friend.


In addition to making contributions to the Social Work program, Tom was one of the original supporters of the Gerontology program at UNCG. Back when we first offered an undergraduate second major and minor, he taught a course on social services in aging that included a global perspective and was informed by his work in Scotland. I saw him a few years ago in an airport in DC and was delighted to catch up with him.  Big hugs to all who will be missing him. He was genuinely a path finder.

My wife, Carmen, and I were proud and humbled to call Tom one of our best friends – ever!  Tom could bring light, friendship and wisdom to any room he entered.  Quiet and unassuming Tom put on no airs or pretenses; though, had he chosen there was much to say about his long and productive career as a scholar and educator.  I first met Tom on the tee of a nearby golf course.  Fortunately, he could claim nearly as little skill for the game as I did.  This concerned neither of us as we were just out to enjoy the day and company of growing friendships.  Tom left us too soon and will be deeply missed.  Rest well, dear friend.

I knew Tom for 30 years, as a colleague, neighbor and coffee buddy.  Tom and I were Department Chairs at UNCG, in that role Tom accomplished a lot with the Social Work Department - setting up an international exchange program and initiating a joint Department of Social Work with UNCA&T.  We were neighbors at Barrington Place for several years with lots of interaction with Tom and Gail.  As  we grew older, we both went through the trauma of selling out townhouses and moving to retirement centers.  Lastly, I often would see and chat with Tom at Milton's coffee group.  Tom was a jolly person, a scholar and a caring family man.  He will be missed by many friends and family.

I first met Tom in about 1996 at a reception in Greensboro.  My wife had accepted the position of Chair of the Clothing and Textile Department at UNCG, was living in Greensboro and was a colleague of Tom.  We had a commuter marriage since we had both been faculty members at the University of Missouri -Columbia and I remained in Columbia in the department of Biochemistry. When I finally retired and moved to Greensboro in 1998, Tom was the first person I contacted.  This led to many happy days of golfing with him with what he called the “Buffalo Creek Golf Group”, a group of golfers that played golf once a week, always at a different course in the area, lunches at many local eateries and lots of interesting conversations. One of the things I liked most about Tom was that he could  always see the positive in almost any situation.  A pretty remarkable attitude today, given our polarized politics and the polarized society it has produced.  Before the Corona Virus shut down, Tom, myself and some former (and current) golfers met for coffee at 2:20 on Tuesday at Amoroso’s Bakery, where we continued the tradition of interesting conversations.  For the rest of my life, when 2:30 comes around on Tuesdays, I will be thinking of Tom (and our conversations).  Condolences from me to Toms sons, daughter and their kids.

OBITUARY

Thomas Bernard Scullion Jr.

April 30, 1936 – July 8, 2020

Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home

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