Cassandra Schwartz
Thomas Schwartz, known to all as Tom, 74, passed away January 12, 2024 at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California.
Tom was born February 10, 1949 in New York City, and adopted by Ruben and Blanche Schwartz soon after. He grew up in Manhattan, and claimed his New Yorker identity with pride his entire life. While the names of his schools are lost to time, the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, and Coney Island stand testament to his “alternative" sources of education.
Tom attended Pratt Institute in New York for his undergraduate degree. During college, he participated in anti-war demonstrations. After graduating he co-founded GLI, an early pioneer in audio equipment for discos. Tom sought a life change in the late 1970s, and moved to the San Francisco Bay area. This would become his home for the rest of his life. After receiving his MBA from Pepperdine University, he became interested in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence. While working at AMD, he met his former wife, Di Schwartz, together they founded an Artificial Intelligence consulting business, Schwartz Associates.
Tom is survived by his daughter, Cassandra, and his granddaughter Beatrix. Tom took great pride in Cassandra’s accomplishments, and contributed to her love of museums, theater, and travel. Both Tom and Cassandra would say this was exemplified in a two week bus tour of European highlights in 2005; they drank with a Beefeater, ran across Paris to visit the Musée d'Orsay, and got lost in Rome, among other adventures. Tom was overjoyed at the birth of his granddaughter, Beatrix. He took every opportunity to share her developments with his community.
Tom was preceded in death by his father Ruben in 1997, and his mother Blanche in 2003.
Tom will be remembered for starting every new acquaintance with a joke, good or bad, and for his love of sunny days, especially at the beach. Those that knew him best will remember his love of music, including singing, despite a self-proclaimed bad voice. He loved telling the story of his winning a lip sync contest that he dedicated to his daughter because she would “rather have a timeout than listen to him sing”.
Tom was a lifelong learner, and patron of the arts. He enjoyed visiting a variety of museums, an appreciation that started with playing hooky at the Museum of Natural History. He especially loved art museums; maintaining memberships to several throughout his life. He loved live theater, and enjoyed many years of subscriptions to community theaters. Tom was also a fervent film buff, visiting cinemas often with friends or family, sometimes weekly.
To celebrate Tom’s enduring desire for personal freedoms and liberty, please make any donations in his name to any of the following charities: The ACLU, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, or the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.
Cassandra Schwartz, Daughter
Tom was born February 10, 1949 in New York City, and adopted by Ruben and Blanche Schwartz soon after. He grew up in Manhattan, and claimed his New Yorker identity with pride his entire life. While the names of his schools are lost to time, the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, and Coney Island stand testament to his “alternative" sources of education.
Tom attended Pratt Institute in New York for his undergraduate degree. During college, he participated in anti-war demonstrations. After graduating he co-founded GLI, an early pioneer in audio equipment for discos. Tom sought a life change in the late 1970s, and moved to the San Francisco Bay area. This would become his home for the rest of his life. After receiving his MBA from Pepperdine University, he became interested in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence. While working at AMD, he met his former wife, Di Schwartz, together they founded an Artificial Intelligence consulting business, Schwartz Associates.
Tom is survived by his daughter, Cassandra, and his granddaughter Beatrix. Tom took great pride in Cassandra’s accomplishments, and contributed to her love of museums, theater, and travel. Both Tom and Cassandra would say this was exemplified in a two week bus tour of European highlights in 2005; they drank with a Beefeater, ran across Paris to visit the Musée d'Orsay, and got lost in Rome, among other adventures. Tom was overjoyed at the birth of his granddaughter, Beatrix. He took every opportunity to share her developments with his community.
Tom was preceded in death by his father Ruben in 1997, and his mother Blanche in 2003.
Tom will be remembered for starting every new acquaintance with a joke, good or bad, and for his love of sunny days, especially at the beach. Those that knew him best will remember his love of music, including singing, despite a self-proclaimed bad voice. He loved telling the story of his winning a lip sync contest that he dedicated to his daughter because she would “rather have a timeout than listen to him sing”.
Tom was a lifelong learner, and patron of the arts. He enjoyed visiting a variety of museums, an appreciation that started with playing hooky at the Museum of Natural History. He especially loved art museums; maintaining memberships to several throughout his life. He loved live theater, and enjoyed many years of subscriptions to community theaters. Tom was also a fervent film buff, visiting cinemas often with friends or family, sometimes weekly.
To celebrate Tom’s enduring desire for personal freedoms and liberty, please make any donations in his name to any of the following charities: The ACLU, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, or the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.
Cassandra Schwartz, Daughter
