In fond memory of Professor Thomas Borcherding, a superb economist, great mentor, and loving friend.

1. Thomas E. Borcherding
(Feb. 18, 1939 – Feb. 12, 2014)

3. I was so fortunate to get to know Tom B when I got to
CGU. But he was well known to me way before I got
here. I remember reading some of his articles as a
graduate student at the U of Michigan. His loss is huge
to me personally and to our field.
- Debbie Freund, Claremont Graduate University

10. He will be forever in my memory.
-Seth Kim

12. TomB as he was called was one of those special
persons I have had the privilege to work with for over
20 years… One of the very few people still using the
old methods of a #2 pencil and a notepad to write
many of his correspondence and asking me for
several drafts, I will surely miss not being able to do
that for him. I have very fond memories of Tom and
they will always remain with me. My thoughts and
prayers go out to his family.
- Dan Lee.

17. He called me toots, shrewd cookie...I called him
my old man. Best teacher, friend, pop I could
have asked for.
- BJ

19. I would like to express my deepest condolence. In
fact, I do not know what to say, and i really cannot
think what I need to do now. I wanted to help Dr
Borcherding's family, but it seems they need more time
to accept this unreal reality. Please let me know, if
there is anything I can do for Professor Borcherding.
- Hunjong Yoo, Claremont Graduate University

22. Your last word to me was love. The love you
gave me now tears my heart apart. You were my
mentor, friend and father. I already miss you so
much, Prof. B., my Doktor Vater.
- Soomi Lee, your dearest Doktor Tochter.

24. Tuesday Talks will never be the same without him.
He'll be missed and fondly remembered...
-Nawar Omer Abdelmagid

26. I am greatly saddened, and am heartbroken for Rhoda.
Tom taught me some economics that I continue to
teach to my own students, and brought humor and
wisdom to our endeavor.
- Stephen Marks, Pomona College

28. Prof. Borch has been a great mentor of
so many CGU students.
-Saeed Qadir

30. Once again we are reminded of how precious life is.
The passing of Professor Thomas Borcherding is
without a doubt a great loss in many respects. I shall
remember him for his kindness, his wisdom, his
humor, his passion for literature and history. He was a
mentor and a friend.....and almost a grandfather. I will
miss him dearly. Professor Borcherding taught me that
in spite of approaching life's issues and challenges with
objectivity and methodological rigor, we must also
laugh more and appreciate the quirks and idiosyncrasies
life has to offer. Rest in peace TEB.
- Byron Ramirez, Claremont Graduate University

32. Rod Smith is right: Tom B. was larger than life. He
leaves an emptiness that will be hard to fill.
- Sven Arndt, Claremont McKenna College

34. I considered him a friend and will miss him a great
deal. He was generous with his feelings, his
encouragement, and his time. Please extend my
sympathies to his wife and family. I also extend them
to you and your colleagues.”
- Richard Straton, Claremont Graduate University

36. He was one of the greatest and kindest professors. He
will be missed dearly.
- Claudia Araiza

38. I'll consider myself very lucky if I can impact
those around me the way he did.
- Sam Schreyer

40. I'm heartbroken by the loss of one of my favorite
professors, Thomas Borcherding. I will always
remember him for his support and encouragement
as one of the faculty members on my dissertation
committee. RIP Dr. Borcherding. You will be very
much missed.
- Somjita Mitra

41. RIP Thomas Borcherding you were my
favorite professor. You will be missed.
- Arsine Khayoyan

43. What a shocker! What a loss! Tom was the greatest,
funny, outspoken, curious beyond restraint, larger than
life, lit up any room he entered, regardless of whether
it was filled with economists or others, and kept it lit.
Everything after him is anticlimax. I can imagine Ross
Eckert greeting him at the Pearly Gates and say “What
took you so long?” And Tom responding: “Of course,
we’re assuming that they’re pearly.
- Ward Elliott, Claremont McKenna College

45. I did not know him well, however I did appreciate his
kindness and spirited conversations in the Spring of
2012.
- Ludwig B. Chincarini, University of San Francisco

47. I am much saddened by this news. Tom has been a
wonderful colleague and friend. We shall not see the
like of him again.
- James Likens, Pomona College

49. This is really sad news for us who are far away from
Claremont. We'll always remember and miss him. May
his soul RIP.
- Bernard Kibesse, Claremont Graduate University

51. I am searching for words here, given the news. It is a
horrendous loss for Rhoda, the boys, CGU, The
Claremont Colleges, and to me personally. Tom was a
personal friend. If I needed advice regarding life and
academics, I would go to his house, or later to his
condo near The Claremont Club. As you know, he
taught frequently at CMC both in Econ 50 and in
Public Choice. We will all miss him.
- Manfred Keil, Claremont McKenna College

53. He will sorely be missed!!!
- Brock Blomberg, Claremont McKenna College

55. RIP old you for being who you were.
-Sunil Rongala.

57. He was a superb economist. More important, he was a
great person and a good friend.
- Hans Palmer, Pomona College

59. I have some very fond memories of Tom B. When I
worked with Sven Arndt at the Lowe Institute, he was
very kind to me and he never failed to remember me at
Christmas (he would bring me a box of See’s Candy)
and on Administrative Assistant’s Day even though I
worked at CMC and not CGU.
- Terri L. Van Eaton, Claremont McKenna College

61. Oh, this is terrible. I cannot believe it. I just saw Tom
on Saturday. He was so sweet and looked just fine. I am
so sorry to hear this. This is terrible news. I am so, so
sorry.
- Yelena Tuzova, Claremont Graduate University

63. Tom was a great mentor and friend, and he had an
enormous impact on my life and career. I will miss him
a lot.
- Darren Filson, Claremont McKenna College

64. Patricia and Tom

65. Such sad news. Tom B was
irreverent, rambunctious, intellectually lively, catholic in
his interests, a generous soul, a friend. What a loss for
us all.
- James Lehman, Pitzer College

67. I want to express my most sincere condolences to you.
I have no words to express how deeply sorry I am to
hear about Professor Borcherding. I'm in shock to
here this news and my heart is filled with sadness. The
world is a less funny, less interesting, less caring, and
less honest place now. We will all miss him and he will
live in our memory forever. My heart goes out to you
and his family in my thoughts and prayers.
- Aber Mandil, Claremont Graduate University

69. What a loss. He was a fine person and a true intellectual.
- Michael Kuehlwein, Pomona College

71. So sorry to lose TomB. He was truly one of the good
ones. And reminds me that we old guys have to stay
healthy so we can have a lot more seminars!
- John Rutledge, Claremont Graduate University

73. I am sending you all my love and appreciation; you
have been making and adding significant success to our
lives, hearts, and our souls. You will never
disappear, since you care legion of truth and love, you
are lightening our dark subways and guiding us for
better and peaceful future.
Always I do appreciate your great mission.
- Mahmoud Khalil, The American University, AUE

75. Tom was a great mentor and did a lot for me. I will
never forget how much interest he took in my
education in Claremont. He pushed me think about
how public choice and macro could interact, and was
the true inspiration behind my interest in political
economy and growth.
- Chetan Ghate, Ph.D Economics (1999), Claremont
Graduate University

77. Tom was a man of big heart and brain. It may have
seemed that the latter dominated when he thrived on
being politically incorrect or when he commented with
some cynicism on politics on all levels. But his heart was
there in the empathy with the people who pay the price
for not being heard or listened to. On the personal level
he was warm, helpful and had great empathy for the
struggles of many students. They may have started out a
bit scared but once they understood where he was coming
from, they became devoted to him as professor and
human being.
- Class Wihlborg, Chapman University

79. Tom was a great colleague and mentor. From day
one, as I stumbled my way figuring out how to be a
professor, Tom was there to give me professional
advice on any given issue. He wrote me incredibly
thorough, helpful, and hilarious emails that taught me
how to do it right. I'm very sad that he passed away so
soon. I will miss him.
- Joshua Tasoff, Claremont Graduate University

81. I am deeply saddened by the news, thousands of miles
away here in Dubai , I still remember professor
Borcherding classes , his sense of humor and the way
he cared for his students, we will sure miss him , may
God bless his soul.
- Shereef Ellaboudy, Claremont Graduate University

83. Hard to imagine Claremont without him. I am sure he
will be his usual witty, insightful and brash self in the
big seminar up in the sky. ( btw, the seminar reference
was his own phrasing).
- Tahir Andrabi, Pomona College

87. It is really sad to hear that prof. Borcherding is no
more. We will miss him, may his soul rest in peace.
- James Machemba, Claremont Graduate University

89. I have never taken his courses or was not his student. I
always see him around at Tues talk and on campus. A
professor like him carries a lot of weight for the
institution. It is so sad to see him go. It is such a great
lost for CGU.
- Aye Aye Khaine, Claremont Graduate University

92. One less star on earth; one more among the heavens.
- Gerard Pacificar, Claremont Graduate University