Tom Pomer

I joined the class of ’65 in the second grade when my family moved to Sharon in 1954. Many of you may remember my mother who worked at Moulton’s Drug Store or my father who drove a school bus as a part time job in the morning. I started high school in the general course then in my sophomore year I switched to the college course which required me to repeat my sophomore year. Therefore, I actually graduated in 1966.

After high school I attended Newman Prep for a year then attended Wentworth Institute graduating with an associate’s degree in aeronautical technology. I went to work at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford Connecticut as an engineering aid. Pratt & Whitney had a massive lay-off after losing a government contract and not being able to find a job, I moved back to Sharon. I had several odd jobs for a while then I answered an ad in the Globe for a technician at CTI-Cryogenics in Waltham MA. After working for about a year I got married and my wife Audrey and I moved to Canton. I went back to school evenings at Northeastern University and earned my engineering degree. I had been working in the engineering lab at CTI and after graduation I was promoted to product engineer. Audrey and I moved to Mansfield in 1976, in 1984 we built the house we’re currently in. In 1991 CTI moved from Waltham to Mansfield (what luck), I had a 6 mile ride to work every day. I really enjoyed the work and stayed there for my working career. In 2005 CTI was purchased by Brooks Automation and moved us from Mansfield to Chelmsford, MA. My 6 mile commute went to 65 miles one way. I stayed there for five years retiring as a senior product design engineer in 2011; I couldn’t take the commute anymore.
In 2012 I was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgins lymphoma. I had my right hip replaced and a rod inserted into my left femur as they were concerned my left femur may fracture due to a large tumor that had weakened the bone structure. I had radiation and chemotherapy and lost 40 pounds. My last CT scan revealed swollen lymph nodes in my chest. A follow-up PET scan revealed lymphoma in my lymph nodes in my neck and chest. I was diagnosed with low grade lymphoma and at this time doesn’t require any treatment. I’m currently doing well, enjoying retirement.

Audrey and I have been married for 41 years; we have two sons, Chris and Brian. Chris earned his Ph.D. in astro-physics and Brian has a master’s degree in theology. Chris is currently the astronomy writer for Science News magazine in Washington DC and Brian is a substance abuse counselor at the Bridge House in Framingham.