Tom Stingelin

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July 2, 2022 · via mobile

Someone wrote this in a card when my 24 y/o son John died and as days pass I realized and enjoyed more and more the WISDOM of these words that I say to you...."Death tears at a wound that's difficult to heal 😢 BUT, MEMORIES are gifts that no one can... more

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June 14, 2022

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June 14, 2022 · via iPhone

At Frito Lay, Tom earned the nickname of “fast khakis” because he was perpetually in motion — the most dynamic individual who was always moving from one thing to the next with lightning quick wit and a perfectly timed joke (and also because the man... more

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

June 13, 2022

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June 12, 2022

To John (nephew & cousin), Ann and Brooke:

We are so very sad to hear about Tom, and our first thought is…. another beloved young member of our family taken away from us too soon.

It breaks our hearts knowing all too well what you are going through... more

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 11, 2022 · via iPhone

I only had the opportunity to meet Tom once, but knowing Brooke was like knowing Tom. Brooke - I can still see the way you would light up while telling a story about Tom. It was so clearly evident how close you two were and how you both truly loved one... more

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022 · via mobile

So many of my core memories center Tom and his sister, Brooke. Some at the beach with our families, some at their home in Chicago, and some at our grandparents house. Tom taught me what a podcast was (hello, PotterCast), how to play N64 (or maybe it was... more

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022 · via iPhone

Tom: I used to tell you that you were in the top 5 funniest people I had ever met to which you would reply “you’re in my top 10” which would make us both laugh. Truth is, you were always the funniest. Love you Tom. 💔

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022

I remember when I first met Tom at the Stingelin house in the summer. Brooke and I met at IU and became instant friends. We were so excited that we both lived in the Chicago area. I often went to Brooke's house when we were home for college during the... more

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June 9, 2022 · via iPhone

My deepest condolences. We all were so fond of him, and I have such wonderful memories of not only the early days of his and Jon’s friendship, but of visiting with him at Ann and John’s 60th. He exuded such joy on that day and had the same smile... more

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June 9, 2022 · via iPhone

4 years ago I was greeted in Reed and T.J.’s living room in Dallas by the biggest smile and heart that has forever left an everlasting impact on my life.

I believe some people are just made with an extra layer of good, but the best ones, the truly... more4 years ago I was greeted in Reed and T.J.’s living room in Dallas by the biggest smile and heart that has forever left an everlasting impact on my life.

I believe some people are just made with an extra layer of good, but the best ones, the truly special ones, are the people who extend that good, and love to fill the cup of every person around them.

From the moment I met Tom, as we bonded over our love for Portillos and the way we both pronounced our Chicagoan “O’s,” I knew undoubtedly that he was one of these people.

I’ve had a lot of time to sit my thoughts over the past weekend and as I reflect, replay, and relive the amazing moments and memories that I was able to create with Tom, and every single one of those memories includes a deep hurtful belly laughter and a drive home where my cheeks would hurt so bad from smiling so hard.

I will never forget the day that I met Tom at the boys house, and he looked at me grab my arm and laughed and said “oh yeah we’re going to be friends,” followed by a couple explicit and funny comments asking about Steve (which I will keep removed from this thread to keep it PG.)

But the one thing that sticks with me the most, is that becoming friends with Tom made me feel home.

Tom, your light was, and will forever be infectious. Your one liners, (mostly super inappropriate jokes,) will live rent free in my memory forever, and your ability to bring laughter and fill everyone’s cup in any room, in any situation, is the piece of you and our friendship that will continue to inspire me to be a better person daily.

Tom, I feel forever grateful to be apart of your chosen family, and to have created memories with you and Brooke. I recognize how difficult it is, and will continuously be, to feel the void of your loss, and I know it’s one we will feel forever. To your whole family, chosen and blood, I know we all can empathize with this feeling.

Here’s to looking for rainbows, to blaring GaGa and having dance parties in my living room, to sneaking mini wine bottles into movie theaters, and to holding onto your sweet love and smile forever. I love you to the moon and stars and back Tom, I always have, and I always will. 🌈🖤 less

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June 9, 2022

Tom, I have had the privilege of meeting you throughout the years and the honor of hearing about you, and the rest of your family, on the many business trips I took with your father. It is clear that you have touched many lives through your short time... more

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June 9, 2022

Tom,
I am gutted that I have to write this, it breaks my heart that your mom, dad and sister are going through this. You will be forever missed. Over the 27 years we had many memories more when we were kids. Those memories came flooding back when I... more

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June 9, 2022

I came to know and love Tom through my best friend Brooke. Brooke not only got me my first job at Blue Chip but it was also at Blue Chip that Brooke got Tom a summer internship. What an amazing time it was working together...Tom was an insanely hard... more

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June 9, 2022

From the first time I met Tom, I knew I wanted to be his friend. It was so immediately clear that everyone he knew respected and loved him. When I joined Frito Lay in 2015, Tom was the first person I met and served as my guide to navigating the... moreFrom the first time I met Tom, I knew I wanted to be his friend. It was so immediately clear that everyone he knew respected and loved him. When I joined Frito Lay in 2015, Tom was the first person I met and served as my guide to navigating the organization. I leaned on him for so many questions during those first months. Luckily for me, our relationship quickly evolved from co-workers to friends.

One of my favorite things about Tom is that he was 100% his true self, no matter who he interacted with or what the occasion was. There was no “work Tom” and “friend Tom” - he was the same person wherever he went. Tom was always trying to make people smile, and I’m still laughing at all the fun memories we shared together. At the same time, I am so grateful for what he taught me in my career. He was so supportive of me, always encouraging me to do my best and striving for more.

I’ve been thinking so much about all the fun times we had together. Here are a collection of some of my favorite memories of Tom.

- Tom organizing a Survivor-style competition among our Walmart Shopper Marketing team complete with a ropes course and gladiator-style battles - he was definitely the most excited about this idea
- One weekend night, Tom, Megan, Camille and I watched the Lady Gaga Super Bowl Halftime Show (Tom probably for the 75th time) and Tom recreated every move, since he knew every second of the entire performance - I’ll always think of him when I re-watch this on YouTube!
- Right before Tom moved off the Tostitos team for a promotion, he ordered 500 Tostitos Cinco de Mayo t-shirts that had an image of a Piñata and the caption “I’d Hit That.” He sent them out to the entire field sales organization as a sales incentive…but then pretended it was a mistake when we got in trouble for encouraging harassment (oops). Luckily I was there to clean up the mess as I backfilled him on Tostitos. Regardless of the drama it caused, Tom still wore his shirt with pride!
- When I joined the Tostitos team, he shared a list of the projects he was working on and guided me through the projects I’d take on as he moved off the team. I took a look at the white board in his cubicle and was immediately overwhelmed, and wondered how I’d ever be able to fill his shoes as he moved on to a new role. He was a master of getting things done, which is why so many people wanted him on their team. However, Tom was there to bring me up to speed and lend his support - he never let me down, and was always there to support me.
- Tom ordered us countless Titos & Sodas when we’d go out around Dallas. When we tried to pay him back, he would tell us that he made more money than us so it was fine.
- I loved bar hopping with Tom and Glenda around Uptown Dallas, usually landing at BBC. Tom would meet everyone he could at the bar, introducing us to new friends as the night went on (and usually trying his best to set us up on dates).
- I loved traveling to Ann Arbor for interviews with Tom! We were such great interview buddies and we were fortunate to hire some of the next generation of PepsiCo interns. During the pizza dinners we’d host for the interview candidates the night before, I was super awkward in front of the undergrad students, yet Tom would make me laugh and turn the conversation into something fun. We always prided ourselves on having the most fun table across all the other PepsiCo offices who were interviewing with us. After those dinners, Tom wanted to go out, even though we had interviews at 8am. One night, we ended up closing down Rick’s, the classic basement bar, taking a photo in front of the neon sign and making new friends along the way. Luckily, we had several opportunities to travel to Ann Arbor to lead interviews for internships and full-time offers at Frito Lay. It was so fun sharing memories of our alma mater, even though we didn’t overlap or attend school together.

There are so many more memories I have. I’m so lucky to have known Tom. I’m extremely grateful for our friendship and I know I’ll carry him in my heart until we meet again. less

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Glenda Garcia reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022

John, Ann, and Brooke, thank you for including us in his beautiful service today. I'm sending you so much love.

I met Tom in 2016 while working at Frito Lay and consider myself so fortunate to have had him as a close friend. Tom taught me so many... more

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Kiren Devereux reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022

It’s been really rainy in Seattle this June. Which, contrary to the world’s assumptions about this city, is uncommon. It’s been dark, moody, and we all feel a bit sad.

I cannot explain this with actual physics, but I believe each of us puts out a... moreIt’s been really rainy in Seattle this June. Which, contrary to the world’s assumptions about this city, is uncommon. It’s been dark, moody, and we all feel a bit sad.

I cannot explain this with actual physics, but I believe each of us puts out a little beam of light when we spend our time on this earth.

The gloominess of the Seattle skies feel like they mirror the missing light from our friend, Tom.

I was so fortunate to have worked alongside Tom during my time at PepsiCo / Frito-Lay in Dallas. I always loved seeing his beaming smile, hearing his adorable quips, and being continually impressed by his combination of work ethic, intelligence, and wit. His midwestern accent made me giggle, and I always left any conversation with him with a smile on my face.

One of my favorite photos of me & Tom was Tom beating me in a tricycle race in the Frito-Lay headquarters in Dallas. What a perfect memory of a unique company, a great team of marketers, leaders who encouraged us to be ourselves, and the people who made us feel like we belonged. Anybody who knows me knows that the loss to Tom in our tricycle race bummed me out; I was a professional bicycle racer before I came to PepsiCo! But he was gracious in victory, and his love of fun events like this. He helped shape our culture, and the fact that we could even race tricycles around the cafeteria was a testament to his ability to persuade us that building amazing teams was more than just delivering financial results.

I have been so sad since I heard the news from our friend Trisha. I have been struggling to put my finger on why, exactly, I am so sad. And I have concluded this:

We who knew Tom were all fortunate to bathe in the light his spirit emitted. He touched all of us with his wonderful personality. I never chose to have children, but if I had had a son, I would have wanted him to be like Tom. He had a brightness and courage to him that was unmatched. He helped shape the culture of PepsiCo with his ability to bring his whole, beautiful self to work. He pushed us to redefine what success looks like, what inclusion looks like, and what a strong team can be. That was how his light touched us.

But I think am sad, almost more, for the fact that the rest of the world no longer gets to bask in his light. That the brightness he brought is dimmed a bit because he left us too soon.

Today, after listening to the heartfelt messages from friends & family at his livestreamed service, I am encouraged. It’s because we all get to carry a bit of him inside of our hearts and can share that brightness with the people we meet. Good people leave a mark long after they are gone, and there isn’t a better example of that than Tom.

I have faith that the Seattle skies will soon brighten, and though physics cannot explain it, maybe it’ll be because of the light he gave to each of us that we now carry into the world. less

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June 9, 2022 · via iPhone

I love you Tom. You knew how to live life to the fullest and while you did a lot after 9 PM (so I missed out) I cherished the moments we shared. I’ll miss you my friend.

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June 9, 2022

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June 9, 2022

Tom, you light, comedic energy and incredible work ethic made working on Big W such a delight. You will be missed

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Kiren Devereux reacted on this.

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June 9, 2022

Tom, we remember you from the times as an inquisitive young boy to a joyful man. We cherish all the family gatherings we had together in Naperville. You are dearly missed by all who know you. God bless you and your amazing family and friends. Love to all... more

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June 8, 2022

Tom our memories span some 27 years, from the wee boy you see here to this fine young man enjoying a glass of wine. Great memories of a wonderful fella. Tom, while we grieve your passing, our memories we cherish, that is where we will find some solace,... more

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June 8, 2022

I am still in shock since I got the call from Dena. As I shared with her many times, Tom was one of the most amazing partners to work with and quick to make friends. I never seen him without a big smile. We joked many times about he adopting my home and... more

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June 8, 2022

There are a few people in your life if you are very fortunate, who are ALWAYS genuinely happy to see you when you meet. You can just feel it. One of those people for me, has always been my nephew Tom Stingelin. Even when he was a toddler, whenever... more

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June 8, 2022

From Tom's Uncle "Jack" and Aunt Sharon:
We didn't get to see a lot of Tom since he lived far away, but when we saw him last, in 2019 at our niece's wedding, we both thought he was the coolest guy there. We never saw anyone enjoy himself more,... more

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Tom was, in every sense of the word, a light. His smile lit up a room and his laughter was like a match that once struck, lit everyone around him into shared laughter. But what shined the brightest in Tom was his kindness, his warm heart, his love of... more

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Tom, was one of the best people I knew! He was the sort of person you just gravitated too and wanted to be friends with. We loved when Brooke would bring him out with our BD gang, he was just part of us. I knew if Tom was around it was going to be a fun... more

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June 8, 2022

They say best friends are the family we choose. Well, being part of Tom’s chosen Dallas family is truly one of my life’s greatest blessings. The memories that Reed and I and our tight friend group created with Tom will not be forgotten because those... more

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Reed Robertson reacted on this.

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Tom,
you were more than our best friend,
you were our brother. You are our brother.
I don’t think there’s a memory in the past decade+ that doesn’t involve a Tom-ism of some kind as you were always a value-add to any situation. Just know we will... more

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TJ Griffin and Risa Douglas reacted on this.

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

Have you ever met someone that made you feel like you were totally loved and accepted even with all your quirks, faults and imperfections? Someone who lite up a whole room the moment he walked in? Well I have, it’s my Beautiful nephew Tom or as I like... moreHave you ever met someone that made you feel like you were totally loved and accepted even with all your quirks, faults and imperfections? Someone who lite up a whole room the moment he walked in? Well I have, it’s my Beautiful nephew Tom or as I like to call him Tommy 💙 The gentlest , kindest, funniest most loving soul I have ever met. Always with a smile on his face, pure love and a dash of delightful humor! My heart is broken and will forever have a spot with his name on it. The world and our family will have to try and move forward without the the light that he is. I know it will be hard but I also know that’s what Tom would want. So today and moving forward as I think of him I will try to do better and shine a little brighter in his honor. It is truly amazing that a 34 year old Nephew could teach his 62 year old Aunt so much about life. Thank you Tommy I consider myself so lucky to have been part of your journey.
Ann and John, The Best Parents Ever! You raised an amazing son! His love for you both was so evident when telling his stories or posting about life in “The Stingelin House”. Always funny and full of love. I absolutely know his love for you both had no bounds. I know there is nothing I can say to ease your pain. He was and will always be a blessing. My heart breaks for you and I will be here for you always. I love you!
Brooke….. Tom’s sister and Best Friend I know he adored you and that the feeling was mutual. You completed each other. You are his biggest fan (there is a big competition going on for that spot!) and the best sister he could ever ask for. I know the road ahead will be hard for you but keep his light shining in your heart. He will always be with you even with his passing, nothing will ever change that. I love you so much my Beautiful niece and I’m always here for you!
So today as I try to make sense of this all I will remember Tommy with a thankful and loving heart. Your Aunt Janet loves you big time and always will!!! I’m so thankful to have been blessed with you in my life. I will miss my Big Hugs. Heaven has gained a beautiful new Angel and the sky a Bright New Star. I’ll be searching the skies for you till we meet once again. All my love always, Aunt Janet less

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TJ Griffin and Reed Robertson reacted on this.

June 8, 2022

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

You were such a uniquely special young man, and I am forever grateful for the many years you blessed our lives… You were family to us, and I know you felt the same .. you knew how much I loved my Boyz. 💟… you certainly left your mark .. you are... more

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Brooke Stingelin, Reed Robertson , and TJ Griffin reacted on this.

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June 8, 2022 · via iPhone

I feel so incredibly lucky that I knew Tom — one of the funniest, most genuine people I’ve ever met. I first met Tom when he came with Brooke to my 26th birthday party. We spent that entire night dancing and laughing which set the tone for every... more

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Brooke Stingelin, Reed Robertson , and TJ Griffin reacted on this.

June 7, 2022

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

Tom, I didn’t just like you.
I loved you.
You didn’t just make me laugh.
You made me cry with laughter.
Today, I’m still crying.
But when I think of you, the tears that run down my face will be from the endless joy and laughter you brought into so... more

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4 person reacted on this

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

John, Ann and Brooke

Being so close to Brooke over the years I felt like I’ve learned so much about your family which became an admiration of how loving, funny and close a family can be. It was never a dull moment hanging out with Tom, he had so much... more

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

June 7, 2022

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

Ann, John and Brooke,
Please accept my heartfelt condolences for this sad news about Tom. There are no words to lessen your grief. But I am sending hugs and prayers that you somehow get thru this difficult time.

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Brooke Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

I have so many great memories (and the photo receipts to prove) of Tom, I’ll be remembering random things for years. I can’t fully express my sympathies to his family— I don’t have the words, butI’m glad to have known him. Rest In Peace, friend.

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5 person reacted on this
Angela Johnson I love your smiles in this one \ud83d\udc9c. Thanks for sharing.
- June 7, 2022

June 7, 2022

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June 7, 2022

How often are you gifted with a family member that shares the same sense of humor, the same attitude, the same outlook on life? It’s rare, and I’m lucky. Lucky to have had Tom in my life. Lucky we were born weeks apart. Lucky we grew up together and... more

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Brooke Stingelin, Paige Marie Kmetz, and Janet Stingelin reacted on this.

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

We were next door neighbors to the Stingelins for 20+ years, so he had a first row seat to their incredible family bond. Many aspire to a bond like that, but they had it. I always called Tom a “modern renaissance” man, because he truly had it all.... more

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June 7, 2022

Tom was always a part of my life through my love and friendship with the Stingelin family. Laughter was such an important part of being close to Brooke and Tom brought so much joy to her and their family. Tom and the Stingelin family will always be in my thoughts.

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Paige Marie Kmetz and Jenni Stevens reacted on this.

June 7, 2022

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June 7, 2022 · via iPhone

I knew most of Tom through stories via his fabulous sister and my best friend, Brooke. I saw how he was her ‘person,’ that they just ‘got each other’ and how much he was a shining star in her life. As soon as I had the privilege to meet him, I... more

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June 7, 2022

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