We lost a big man with a big heart

Tommy Lombard spent his entire life fighting the good fight.

As a union rep for the late, lamented Bryant Electric Company, as a Bridgeport community activist. And also as a general agitator and , frankly, just for the sport of it, Mr. Lombard always battled for what he believed in.

Tom Lombard had an opinion about almost everything and he was never shy about expressing that opinion. That approach did not always endear Mr. Lombard to the powers that be and did not always make Tommy the most popular man in the room. In the end, he had no problem letting his opinion to anyone within earshot. Yours truly, in particular.

The truth is, it is difficult to write about Tommy in the past tense. He was an absolute original with a gift

of life and for blarney that was a tribute to his Irish heritage. To me it was obvious. To some it was obnoxious. But so be it.

The truth is it is difficult to talk about Tommy in the past tense. He seems so very much alive. Mr. Lombard was an original with a big heart and a gift for bluster that was a nod to his forefathers. To me it meant one thing: Tom loved people. And despite his overwhelmingly affinity for breaking balls, he always had a chuckle.

But enough about Tom Lombard. He died and he made a significant impact. I happened to have loved him.

Just a word about his soul. I was talking to my friend Ralph the barber who was reminiscing about Tom, and recalled “There was a guy who always hit me day in and day out. Every day. I just got used to it.’ Finally Tommy pinned him to the wall. I didn’t ask him to. Tommy just did it.”

Some things just don’t change.