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For Tom Eby ’65, ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ was far more than a secondary school: “it was the transformative place” that prepared him for a life defined by faith, athletics and service. Reflecting on his journey from the corner of Cedar and SOM to his retirement today, Eby emphasizes that the strong Christian foundation he received at ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ has served him throughout his entire life.

 

Eby’s time at ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ was marked by significant athletic achievement, including playing on undefeated football and basketball teams. But he credits his coaches — Vern Weber, Steve Blanchard and Geoff Morton—as having the “biggest influence” on him during those formative years, noting that they were “as good as it gets, on the field and off.” These experiences on the field and court were instrumental in his future, directly leading to Eby securing a scholarship to Northwestern University, where he played both football and baseball.

 

After graduating from Northwestern, Eby’s professional path followed a blend of business and education. He spent several years with the Eby Company before pivoting to pursue a master’s degree in special education from Case Western Reserve University. He spent years teaching first-grade special education and coaching in Chicago before eventually returning to the Eby Company, where he worked until his retirement in 2014. Even in retirement, Eby’s intellectual curiosity remains vibrant; he has taken approximately 50 classes from Kent State University . He continues to play golf weekly with his former classmates.

 

Perhaps Eby’s most profound legacy is his extensive work in the nonprofit sector. Inspired by the values of his Holy Cross education, he dedicated much of his life to serving children, motivated by the belief that they are “the most important people of all.” For 19 years, he served on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope, including a tenure as chairman during which he led a campaign to raise $11 million for a state-of-the-art classroom building in Garfield Heights. His philanthropic efforts also extend to national advocacy for congenital heart defects through Conquering CHD and addressing food insecurity with the Ben Curtis Family Foundation.

 

Throughout the decades, the Class of 1965 has remained the bedrock of Eby’s social life. He describes his classmates as his “best friends,” noting that the bonds formed at ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ are so enduring that one can pick up a conversation with a friend after 35 years exactly where it left off.