- Date Of Birth: December 1, 1940
- Date Of Death: June 15, 2019
- State: New Mexico
THOMAS G. EAKES Thomas G. Eakes, 78, passed away June 15, 2019, after an eight-year battle against Lewy body disease, a progressive form of dementia and movement disorder related to Parkinson’s disease. Tom, a visionary and a lifelong connector of people and ideas, was best known in Northern New Mexico for having led the team that in 2005 founded Music on the Hill at St. John’s College. Each summer, the concert series brings thousands of Santa Feans to the liberal arts campus perched above the city. Of the many accolades he received throughout his disparate successful careers in business and art, he was most proud of being distinguished in 2012 as an honorary alumnus of St. John’s College. Tom was born December 1, 1940, in Santa Monica, Calif., where his parents worked in the aviation industry. His early years were spent in Iowa, where both parents had roots, but when his father began to suffer from diabetes, the family moved west again. They settled in Phoenix, Ariz., and opened a diner. The oldest of three, Tom was 14 when his father died, and Tom’s childhood was shaped by early responsibilities. At 16, he joined the Air Force, obtained his GED, and earned credits from Florida Southern College.
