Thomas Ray Gallimore

My dear, dear partner, Thomas Ray Gallimore, left this world and joined his beloved mom, Joyce, in heaven on October 14, 2024. Tom (or Ray, as his family called him — after all, he was from the South) was my best friend and partner of 30 years. I will deeply miss the most kind and compassionate person I have ever known.

Tom was born in Tennessee in 1948. As a child he moved north with his family to the Chicago area, where he worked hard to drop his accent and where he remained for the rest of his life. His younger sisters, Pam (Jimmy) Jensen and Debbi Gallimore, adored their big brother and counted on him as their protector. For Tom, throughout his entire life, relationships with family and friends were paramount.

 He was a guy with a curious mind and an interest in everything — and a job history to prove it. As a young adult Tom did it all, driving taxis at O’Hare, testing televisions for Motorola quality control (his favorite job because he could watch baseball games all day), loading air freight for Flying Tigers, hanging siding for new homes. Eventually he found his calling as a Prudential insurance agent, dedicating his energy to his clients over a 40-year career. He took their calls seven days a week, spent long hours on the phone with them, attended many of their weddings, retirement dinners and funerals. And for some, he was their unlicensed family therapist.

He also loved sports. As a young man and into middle age, Tom was an enthusiastic golfer, bowler, basketball and softball player. In his later years, his favorite sport was living room debating. Deeply curious about philosophy, physics, and history, this autodidact could also cite sports statistics like the Guinness Book and had an opinion about every professional athlete in any sport.

Tom faced his mortality calmly and with courage. And at the end of his rich life, he showed us all again who he was: a man who cared most about the comfort of others, who worked hard to make things easier for everyone else, a man who leaves a big hole in our lives that will never be filled.

Rest in peace, Tom. 

Love, Katrina

Please consider a memorial in Tom's name to Family Health Partnership Clinic, a organization whose people and mission he deeply respected.