Currier House Graduate Dies; Remembered for Enthusiasm

Thomas George Corwin '88 of Currier House died in his sleep Sunday morning at his home in Newton after a 12-year battle with leukemia.

Friends recalled Corwin as a caring person with a love for hockey and a deep appreciation for life. Corwin's drive to overcome the limitations of his illness set an inspiring example, friends said.

Corwin, 22, was first struck by the disease at the age of 10 and had been undergoing chemotherapy after a relapse the summer before his senior year.

"It stopped him from doing a lot of things, but he never lost himself in it. He never became a sick person," said Dan Dohan '87, a long-time friend.

Corwin, an economics major, completed his coursework in spite of debilitating therapy, in time to graduate with his class last spring.

"At the end of the year he surged. He wanted to accomplish everything. He was having a good time, and he loved it," said Matthew F. Drummy '89, who roomed with Corwin last year. "He had an awareness that he might not be around for that much longer, and he wanted to live his life to thefullest."

"When he found out he had cancer before hissenior year, he was determined to graduate," aclose friend Lynne S. Gower said. "He wanted thatdiploma. He was determined to finish, and somehowhe did."

Corwin capped his senior year with acommencement speech about his struggle withleukemia that brought many of his classmates totears, friends said.

His friends' fondest memories are of playingstreet hockey in the halls of Currier with him andCorwin's passionate love for the Boston Bruins.

Drummy said Corwin's fanaticism for hockey andhis down-to-earth personality were rare in hisfriends at Harvard. "We watched all the games onChannel 38, and we went to at least 10 Bruinsgames together," Drummy said. "I was unable to dothat with anyone else at Harvard, but Tom wascompletely unpretentious."

Last Friday night, Corwin went to theHarvard-Boston College hockey game and the nextnight--hours before he died--watched the Bruinsgame on TV.

"He smiled and said both of his teams won,"said Corwin's brother, Bruce, a member of theclass of '87. "His attachment to the sports teamswas amazing. He could live vicariously andunenviously through other people."

Corwin's enthusiasm and desire to live a normallife in spite of his illness touched his friends."I'd say that he was easily the most courageousperson I ever knew. He instilled a great deal ofhumility in me," Drummy said. "Tom made me feellike I should be a stronger person, because he wasso strong."

"He was in a lot of pain, but he never wouldshow it," said Gower. "He always said when he wasdown that he didn't really have it that bad--thatthere were a lot of people worse off."

His friends recalled his sincerity and hissense of humor as Corwin's most unique anddesirable traits. "He'd always come up with a lineso fast," said Gower. "He'd say it seriously, andeveryone would stop and pause. Then everyone wouldlaugh hysterically."

"He wasn't false in any way--there was nothingabout him that was superficial. He was 100 percentTom," said Pamela C. Mansfield, a high schoolfriend. "Perhaps his illness took away all thefacades we adopt throughout life, and hiswillingness to wade through them."

Corwin is survived by his brothers Eric H.Corwin '85 and Bruce, a sister-in-law Manal S.Corwin '86 and his parents, Dr. Howard A. Corwin'54 and Jeannette H. Corwin.

A memorial service will be held in MemorialChurch on Wednesday at 11 a.m