Thomas Andrew Rieger

THOMAS ANDREW RIEGER (1954-2010)

Tom Rieger, loving father and friend, lost his brief and courageous battle with cancer on August 3, 2010, while in Houston, Texas on his way to receive further cancer treatments. Tom leaves and will be missed by his son, Andrew Hogan Rieger, his loving and beloved companion Kathryn McDaniel, his aunts Jane Krakauer, Joey Goldsmith and Janet Roston, and his hundreds of friends across the country.

Tom was born on December 15, 1954 in Kansas City to James and Elinor Rieger. Tom attended Pembroke Hill School, where he was the last straight-on kicker on the football team, played varsity tennis, was class treasurer, a student teacher, business manager of the yearbook and president of the American Field Service organization. He received Pembroke’s Trevor Mount Peace Prize in recognition of his gift for bringing people together, a trait that served him well throughout his life. Tom graduated from Occidental College in Pasadena, California in 1977, where he played club ice hockey and was a member of the ATO fraternity. Tom began his career with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in Texas upon graduation. His mother’s illness in 1977 brought Tom back to Kansas City, where he worked for Mercantile Bank for several years before embarking on a career in sports management and promotion. Tom enjoyed helping new teams break into the Kansas City market. He was the General Manager of the Kansas City Blades hockey team, worked for the Comets indoor soccer team, was General Manager of the Kansas City Explorers World Team Tennis team, and was General Manager of NHL 21, an organization that sponsors and promotes National Hockey League exhibition games in Kansas City and worked to bring an NHL team to this city. Tom served as Director of Business Development for National Sports Services, a national sports consulting firm. Tom co-chaired the Bacchus Ball and was a long-time board member of the Kansas City Crime Commission, where he was instrumental in creating the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline.

Tom loved life and managed to find the positives in any situation. Tom became a proud, loving, and devoted father when, in 1987, he and his then wife and lifelong friend, Nancy, gave birth to their only child, Andy. Andy, a graduate of Shawnee Mission East and SMU, is now working in Dallas. Tom was loving and steadfast to his companion Kat, who was with Tom to the very end of his battle with cancer. Tom was a true friend to hundreds of people in Kansas City and across the country. Tom’s house was always open for friends to visit, and he loved hosting Monday night dinners for whoever felt like dropping by with a dish. He loved to cook, travel, and spend time with those close to him. His philosophy was to simplify and enjoy life and always let his friends and family know how much he cared about them. He knew that the friends that matter don’t mind, and the ones that mind don’t matter.

A celebration of Tom’s life will take place on Thursday, August 12, 2010, at the Marriott Muehlebach Hotel in Downtown Kansas City, beginning at 5:30 p.m. True to Tom’s wishes, there will be music, food, drinks, balloons, and fireworks. No flowers, please, but feel free to make contributions in Tom’s memory to the American Cancer Society or a charity of your choice.

• Reference: Tributes.com - SmartCopy: May 4 2019, 13:21:13 UTC