Thomas Albertus Draeger

Thomas Albertus Draeger was born on March 29th, 1945, in Nashville, Tennessee. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia with his mother Nelia, father Albertus, and sister Ann. He grew to love learning, and soon took his budding passion to Harvard University where he studied Government, wrestled, and established long time friendships. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1966, then headed to University of Virginia to earn a masters degree in what he’d learned to love most about learning: teaching. 

After graduation from UVA, Tom settled in New York City. There, he pursued teaching as a tool for justice and empowerment in the Harlem Block Schools, an early magnet school in Manhattan. He spent 8 years teaching arithmetic, science, and English to his students, all the while studying progressive learning models to continuously improve his own pedagogy. Even when teaching, Tom loved learning.

Tom’s love of picking up new skills inspired him down his next path of crafting with his hands, and later supervising this craftsmanship. After managing a construction project for The Harlem Block Schools, he apprenticed himself to a carpenter, and eventually opened his own carpentry business. Subsequently, Tom became an owner’s representative for construction at Columbia University and then Yale University. He completed several important projects for each school including the 120th Street Engineering Building and Powerplant for Columbia, and a Co-generation plant and the Environmental Science Center, which houses some of the specialized collections of the Peabody Museum, for Yale. Tom spoke often to his children about the importance of building cleaner energy sources, and inspired a lasting passion among family members in sustainable construction. In the last step of his career, he established The Energy Consortium, with the intention to focus construction projects on positive and lasting energy and sustainability outcomes.

After a long career of energetic engagement with people he loved and the spaces they occupied, Tom retired to enjoy more of the activities he’d always loved. He spent days with his family, walking, reading, watching birds and whenever nearby a body of water, fishing. He gardened and year-after-year enjoyed the perennials he had planted. Tom cared deeply for the many cats he adopted over the course of his adult life, a love that was ever present, and was seldom without one purring closely by his side. He was also a neighborhood socialite, and it seemed that every passing person knew his name and spoke it jovially as they passed– “How’s it going, Tom?”. An advocate for and a buddy of animals, a friend among neighbors, and an exceedingly proud and loving husband and father.

Tom is survived by his wife of 25 years, Pamela Paddock, and their two children, Katherine and Samuel. He is also survived by his two stepchildren from a previous marriage, Zoe and Mark Reiter. He is survived by his sister Ann George and her husband Cass George, his brother-in-law, William Paddock and other extended family.

“I love you more than the sun and the stars and the moon and the earth”. Known for this mantra of love, Tom will not just be remembered fondly, but has planted the seeds among loved ones for a warmth that will grow onward and outward in his name.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your local SPCA or Audubon Society.