Thomas Meskel Obituary

Mr. Meskel was the greatest, best, and funniest math teacher that I had at Mason City High School. I loved his statistics class and his bonus joke at the end of each test. What a sense of humor and I loved the Black Jaks in concert at MCHS. I followed in his footsteps as an officer in the Naval Service. A truly great man and the world is worse off without him in it.

I was Tom´s freshman roommate in Schroeder Hall at Marquette U. We lost track over the years, but many great memories remain.

My deepest sympathy. I have so many wonderful childhood memories. I have so enjoyed our Christmas card exchanges through all these years. Two extraordinary people who will be cherished and remembered always.

Tom was my boss at Niles West HS for 15 years, where he was Director of the Math and Science Departments. As his 'executive secretary,' there was rarely a dull moment. The demands of his job were daunting, to say the least, and I like to think that I helped him by being a good assistant.
I learned so much from Tom! We had lots of laughs and lots of challenges. I admired Tom's sense of humor and overall cheery disposition, even during times of adversity. He used many expressions that I had been completely unfamiliar with prior to working for him, many of which I found quite amusing. One example, which taught me to not always take him literally, was whenever he returned from a meeting or somewhere, he'd ask me if there were any fires. I'd look at him as if to say, 'Did you really just ask me that, because I'm sure you would have heard about it...' No one could 'take the Navy out of the guy, so I quickly learned, that his lingering passion for everything Navy, would infiltrate numerous aspects of our working relationship. I could probably write a book....
Tom was a talented mathematician. He loved his family fiercely and talked endlessly about them; particularly, about fun times in the good old days with his beloved Mary, aka "his bride." He used to say they deserved each other :-).
I had the good fortune of speaking to Tom about a month before he passed away. I wanted to express my condolences about Mary's passing. We had a wonderful 'catch up' conversation. I already understood what a close couple Tom and Mary were, so I think it 'added up' that he needed to keep her close. Tom told me the key to their happy life together was that they always managed to 'keep it fun.'
My sincere condolences to the entire Meskel family.

Thank you for sharing your memories and kind words of my father. He is truly missed.

Tom, was an fellow "Counter Critter" at Fred´s Diner in Grayslake, and he was a wonderfully friendly man. Always telling wonderful stories about his time as a teacher. He was a good man, and he will be missed.

My condolences go out to Tom's family during this difficult time. I knew Tom through many "math" circles and have spent many meetings admiring all that he's contributed to mathematics and leadership. Tom was a true leader, and a mentor to many. Above all, he was a wonderful person that truly cared for others. He's inspired teachers and has made all of us better at what we do. He will be deeply missed. May his memory be eternal.

Tom was a dear colleague in the math education community. I knew Tom as a fellow math department chair / director. As part of our group, his professional contributions and personal interactions were just wonderful. I am so sorry for your loss. A memory -- when frequent testing was becoming more of a thing, Tom relayed his wisdom from his experience -- weighing a hog more often doesn't make it any heavier.

I was so sorry to hear about Tom and my heart and prayers go out to his family. I knew Tom through various mathematics education organizations in the Chicago area and the state of Illinois. He was a wonderful friend and mentor to many students and teachers. He was such a leader. He will be missed.

My condolences. Tom was my boss for many years at Niles West HS. His gentle, firm and fatherly style of management helped shape many successful careers. The world has lost a kind and sterling individual.

So sorry to hear of Tom's passing. I knew both your mother and Tom. Tom and I worked together at Niles Township HS District 219. He was a wonderful mentor to me when I was hired there. His contributions to the math department and 219 students, can still be seen - a lasting legacy.