Tom Schaefer
1954-2022
It is with great sadness that we report that our friend, COGS member and fellow cyclist, Tom Schaefer, has passed away due to a diving related accident in Mexico. Tom was a real character, in the best sense of the word. Those of us who had the pleasure to ride with Tom and get to know him appreciated his sense of humor, his knowledge of the world, both natural and human, and the eccentricities that made him such a unique person.
Tom is survived by his girlfriend, tandem partner, and fellow COGS member, Grace Abbott and his niece Lerryn Schaefer Donatelle of Chicago.
For more about Tom, especially his life beyond cycling, check out the memorial website set up by Lerryn and Nick Schaefer Donatelle. You can also contribute stories and photos about Tom on that website.
Below are some memories contributed by a few of Tom’s friends.
- Tom’s ability to carry on a non-stop conversation up a 10% grade and never run out of breath.
- On his old red steel-framed bike, he could outride most folks on a carbon fiber or a titanium bike.
- Tom rarely finished a ride with the group. He would dutifully ride to the start, be there on time, but had so much energy and enthusiasm that he usually ended up riding off on some longer and/or hillier variation.
- Tom had an amazing record of riding a century every month of each year. When circumstances forced him to break his streak, it wasn’t long before he started a new streak.
- Tom never met a hill he didn’t want to ride. He was always game for a “diabolical” ride involving a ridiculous amount of hill climbing, especially when it involved Cougar or Squak mountains.
- Tom had a special “deal” with the big hill on Juanita Drive. He’d wait for you at the top, but riding up the hill he always gave it his all. His all meant the rest of us were usually left way behind.
- Tom loved RAMROD and rode it whenever the lottery provided an opportunity.
- Some people track their steps each day. Tom always knew how many miles he’d ridden so far that year, on each of his three bikes.
- Tom loved the 520-bridge bike trail and many of his bike routes involved at least one crossing on the 520 trail.
- Tom had favorite trees along many of his rides that he liked to point out so others could enjoy them too.
- Tom rarely bought anything new. Whatever he needed, especially bicycle parts, he acquired from sources like eBay, Craig’s List, and Recycled Cycles. He was generous with the treasures he found, giving things to friends who could use the items he didn’t need.
- In addition to cycling, Tom loved sailing and diving. He participated in volunteer fish surveys and could tell you about the health problems of the sea star population and the health status of various coral reefs. He particularly liked diving trips to Mexico.
- Tom was a natural teacher. At various times he taught an introductory course in the Oceanography department at the University of Washington and taught marine science to fifth graders in local schools as a part of The Seattle Aquarium and Pacific Marine Research.
To honor Tom, COGS will be hosting a ride of one of his favorite in-city loops. Later in the season, if the rest of us can get in shape, COGS will put together a century on his behalf.
by Susan Price, Richard Petters, and Gus Jansson on behalf of COGS
