Tommy DeReus

Tommy, Tom, TR….Tommy was born at Homestead AFB in Florida and when I brought him home from the hospital, his 4 year old sister looked at me, stomped her foot and said, “I told you I wanted a puppy”. And so it began. He started walking at 10 months and that should have been a sign of all that was to come. Tommy lived life at maximum speed. Those hazel eyes, his smile and those dimples got him a lot of free passes in life. The stories I could tell when he was young would make you shake your head & laugh but also make you grateful that you didn’t have to raise him. I asked him once if he had washed his hands after going to the bathroom, he looked at me, grinned and said “no, I didn’t pee on them”. Classic TR. He made friends everywhere he went – he could stand in a line and connect with people.Tommy was so smart but barely got out of high school (more interested in his social life than his academic life), took the ‘6 year’ college program and finally graduated from St Thomas University in Minneapolis with a degree in political science and history. He loved to debate almost any topic, especially politics, but always did his homework and knew the facts. He could make you laugh out loud when he told stories about the antics he and his friends pulled in high school and college. You knew how much he loved those friends as he stayed connected to so many people in Minnesota where he grew up.
He did everything to extremes and was good at any sport he tried: hockey, broom ball, snowboarding and the love of his life, GOLF. Golf was his passion and he was really good! At one time he carried a 2 handicap. He loved it when his friends went out to Vegas to play golf with him. The last time he and I played in Las Vegas this last December, he shot a 1 under and still thought he could have hit better. He was so patient with me and told me he was so happy that I had taken up golf. When we were together on the course, it was that sweet spot in life and always fun.And Tommy loved animals – especially his cat Sampson who would actually come when Tom called him! As a little boy he was always dragging in stray animals. Despite the sometimes gruff exterior, he had a soft heart. He loved his nephew, Luka. He told me Luka was the smartest person he had ever met and would make a difference in this world.
Tommy’s career was varied. A few stints in sales and marketing, years with ECreditAdvisor but primarily in the mortgage industry in both Minneapolis and most recently in Las Vegas with Security National . Tommy lived in Las Vegas for the past 15 years and swore never to leave the warm weather. He loved his home and his friends in Vegas. He left us far too early. It’s hard to believe I will never see his smile again, argue about stupid things or play golf with him. Hug the people you love and tell them how much they mean to you because it can change in a moment. For those of you who play golf, next time you are out on the course – hit a ball for Tommy. Thank you for being a part of his life and for caring for him.