Funds for the Family of Tom Goodson
Tom passed away unexpectedly on November 28, 2020, leaving behind his mother Mary-Jo, his younger brother Rob and his father, Henry. The family is understandably shocked by this loss and unfortunately not prepared for all that goes along with funerary expenses at this time. This fundraiser is meant to help Tom's grieving family with some of these expenses.
Please read the tribute to Tom below, written by his mother and brother, for additional information on Tom's life and passing.
Thomas Michael Goodson was born in Queens, NY and moved to Los Angeles, CA in the early 90s. He started out in Hollywood and later moved to Venice, CA. He had amazing jobs until honing his craft in the world of technology. Tom was accomplished and had a brilliant mind. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do or couldn’t figure out.
He was a trailblazer in many ways and he paved the way for several Rochester, NY transplants that followed after him. Some memorable stats from his Hall of Fame are getting a cease and desist from the local phone company for hosting Hotline servers from his house, to being one of the first to install a T1 commercial grade high speed internet in his house during the days of dialup modems, to a webhost, and then to becoming one of the first corporate IT Managers before the .com era. He even purchased a version of Black Sunshine, a Mustang that belonged to the band White Zombie. After bouncing around Los Angeles, he eventually picked up and moved to Colorado where he wound down to live in the suburbs of Aurora for some time and reinvented himself, learning a new trade in the Real Estate Industry. Finally, he made his last trek to Las Vegas where he worked and spent the last of his days close to The Strip.
Tom was many things, a musician, an athlete, an IT manager, an artist, a graphic designer, a webmaster, a realtor, an entrepreneur, a friend, an uncle, a brother, and a son. His smile was infectious, his energy was contagious, and he was so inviting and charismatic that if you have ever spent any time with him, you would have felt it too.
Tom loved to laugh and have fun and included anyone close by. He was a goofball but he was also a caretaker, a helper and would give his last dollar to anyone who needed it. His family and friends meant everything to him.
Tom passed away on 11/28/20. He was just 47 years old. He is survived by his mother, Mary Jo, father, Henry, brother, Rob, and his two nephews, Royce and Rykah.
Although we know that he passed away in his car, and that he looked healthy, and went to work just a day before, we still do not know the actual cause of his death. We are still waiting for the autopsy report, which could take several months to come back.
We are asking for help with the funeral expenses. Anything additional will be donated to a charity that assists people with mental illness. He was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder at one point in his life. About Schizoaffective Disorder .
Please seek help for those who you suspect of experiencing mental illness. Something as easy as a call to 911 asking for a wellness check can help someone. You can learn about mental illness, the signs and treatment by going to:
https://nami.org/About-Mental-Illness
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health#coping
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Thank you for any help you can provide.