THOMAS ANTHONY HAGEMANN 1956-2015 Thomas "Tom" Hagemann was born to Maxine and Colonel Joseph A. Hagemann on June 16, 1956. He was an Air Force brat who grew up all over the world, including stints in Iran, England, and Seguin, Texas. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Rice University in 1978, and obtained his law degree from Yale Law School. He went on to work as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in Los Angeles from 1985-1991. Tom was selected to be a Robert Bosch Fellow in Germany, and from 1991-1992, he worked for the federal Environmental Ministry in Bonn and then for the state administration in Leipzig in former East Germany. In 1992, he began working in Houston, first as a partner at Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton and then at Gardere Wynne Sewell. He was a trial lawyer whose practice focused on white-collar criminal matters, and he was repeatedly recognized by a variety of publications as one of the best lawyers in the area, both in Texas and nationally. Law was just one of many passions for Tom; he was also a writer, a playwright, an actor, a photographer, an artist, a cyclist, a hiker, a trip leader, a husband, a father, and a friend. He brought to each of these pursuits his powerful intellect, his love of fun, and his legendary high-pitched cackle. He was excited and looking forward to the premiere of his second play "1946," featuring his favorite leading lady, at Houston's Main Street Theater in March of 2016. Tom met and wooed that leading lady and the love of his life, Christianne Mays, in 1984. They married shortly after in 1993. They had two children, Emma and Max Hagemann, and by all accounts, Tom was an insanely proud and devoted husband and father. He loved his family beyond all reason and cheered them all to find and follow their passions and dreams. Tom had an infectious enthusiasm for life, good company, Sinatra, a perfect steak, and the definitive gin martini. He will be terribly missed. Tom passed away on October 7, 2015 while on a bike trip in Vermont. He is survived by his wife Christi, his children Emma and Max, his mother-in-law Margaret Mays, his brothers-in-law Marshall and Kenneth, and their partners, Daniel and Stephanie, two nieces and a nephew, several cousins and many close and beloved friends. A memorial service is to be conducted at two o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 24th of October in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. Anyone who wishes to honor Tom's memory by wearing a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops is welcome to do so. In lieu of customary remembrances, please consider a donation in Tom Hagemann's name to one of two causes near and dear to his heart: Main Street Theater at 2540 Times Blvd., Houston, TX 77005; or the Putney Open Door Fund at The Tom Hagemann Scholar Fund, 345 Hickory Ridge Road, Putney, VT 05346.
Published in Houston Chronicle from Oct. 18 to Oct. 21, 2015.