Professor Tom Oakland passes away at age 75

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is with a very heavy heart and a deep sense of shock that I write to inform you of the death of Tom Oakland. Tom died in his home in Gainesville, Florida on Wednesday. It appears from the news reports that he was murdered in his home and the house was then set on fire. A man has been arrested.

Tom will be known to many of you and was a stalwart supporter of and contributor to the ITC. Only last year did he step down from decades of membership of the Council and contributions to its work. Right up until his death he was still working on two new sets of ITC guidelines – which will now make a fitting posthumous tribute to him.

Tom had friends around the world and was a man of generous spirit, always willing to spend time with people and to support and assist them in their work. He literally spanned the world in his work and his influence, dedicated to helping those in emerging nations. He was a true international and his loss will be felt very deeply around the globe.

The ITC will produce a more detailed statement in memory of Tom in due course, but for now the pain is too great and it is enough for each of us to remember him in our own way.

The thoughts of the ITC Council are with his family, close friends and in particular his sons.

Dave Bartram
ITC President