Thomas Milton Knobel

Thomas (Tom) Milton Knobel, age 75, passed away on Friday, December 20, 2024, with his wife and daughter at his side in Chicago, IL, after a hard-fought battle with side effects caused by immunotherapy treatment.

Tom was born on December 10, 1949 in Cortland, NY, to James H. Knobel and Dorla Simmons Mercer. Although his family felt financial struggles in the 50’s and 60’s, Tom grew up with a resilient mindset and eyes set to the future. He attended Homer High School, and involved himself in a number of extracurriculars, including the Boy Scouts of America, the Cross-Country Team, and the Shakespeare Society.

A bright and inquisitive spirit from his youth, Tom left his hometown during his senior year of high school to go on Rotary Exchange to Mumbai, India for a year. He spent his time gallivanting throughout India and the surrounding region, exploring as much as he could while developing a newfound perspective on the world—one filled with insatiable mysteries, fascinating cultures, and rich mosaics of history.

After returning to the States, he completed his undergraduate education at the University of Houston, and graduated with a BS in Chemistry and Biology (1972). In 1974, still living in Texas, he joined Dow Chemical as a Senior Project Leader, conducting and managing various research efforts in crude oil cracking and electroconductive polymers, among others. It was also at Dow that Tom met his first wife, Tu-Anh Pham.

A pair of adventurers, Tom and Tu-Anh spent much of their time sailing and exploring from their base in Galveston, TX for a decade or so, which included a short stint as brewery owners.

Afterwards, they moved back to Princeton, NJ. In the summer of 2001, Tom and Tu-Anh had their daughter, Vivienne. After Tu-Anh’s untimely passing in September of that year, Tom and Vivienne moved to his hometown of Homer, NY, where his father, Jim, and sisters Rona and Kim lived.

Tom, beyond his passion for the sciences, was an avid and talented writer. He authored several books, including Cross Sections (2000), Bay Inn at Moon Bay (2006), and Burst (2011), and found pleasure in a range of mystery, science fiction, and history novels. In addition to that, he followed his passion for exploration out to Montana and Wyoming, where he enjoyed rugged horseback riding, hiking, and skiing in the mountains. He found a particularly special spot on a ranch located in the Big Horn Mountains of WY, where he, Vivienne, and many of their friends and family visited every year.

In 2008, Tom was introduced to Catherine Bertini through a dinner party organized by his neighbor. He and Catherine, another Cortland-born woman who had recently moved back to the area after retiring from the United Nations, fell in love and married in 2011. As Vivienne graduated high school and attended college, Tom and Catherine spent their days once again traveling and enjoying life, including a myriad of international trips each year. Together, they also established Global Main Street Associates, a consulting firm with footholds in business development, government, academia, and philanthropy.

Tom passionately involved himself with philanthropy and a number of local organizations in Upstate New York, all of which he did for the sake of strengthening his community rather than self-recognition. As one of the original founders of the Center for the Arts of Homer, he was essential to its purchase and operation, drafting the business plan that laid the foundation for its success over the past two decades. He served on the board for many years, bringing financial acumen as a volunteer in a key financial capacity through its first decade.

Beyond that, Tom was also a key figure in the growth of the Cortland Repertory Theatre over the past fifteen years, and was instrumental in the creation and construction of CRT Downtown. He brought a tireless commitment to creativity, program development and vision to CRT that lives on in both its downtown location and Little York pavilion. He also served as a member and club president for the Rotary Club, as treasurer and trustee for the Brockway Foundation, and even as a lifetime member of the Lime Hollow Nature Center.

Finally, apart from contributing to community organizations, Tom was a wise and kind mentor to young entrepreneurs and student startups at Cornell University, Syracuse University and the Syracuse Tech Garden. He brought insight from his experience as an innovator and investor, and helped them start and scale. He brought considerable insight to cleantech, life sciences and materials science companies, helping them grow into successful ventures and advancing research breakthroughs into the marketplace.

Tom Knobel, far from a one or even two-dimensional soul, never faltered in his desire to learn and understand everything there is to know about the world and arts. To the respect of his family, friends, and colleagues, Tom was always first and foremost a man that valued science and reason above all else. While not always fortunate in the cards he was dealt throughout life, he shouldered the burdens with grace and grit. His vigor for life and desire to leave a lasting legacy remains on through his impact on all those he touched.

Tom is survived by his wife, Catherine Bertini of Homer and Chicago, IL, and daughter, Vivienne Knobel of Boston, MA. He is also survived by four siblings, Beanie Knobel (Dina) of Bernville, PA, Kim Knobel Welch (Thomas) of Three Mile Bay, NY, Jeff Mercer (Colleen) of Belle Harbor, NY, and Joel Mercer (Beth) of Cortland.

Tom has a vast number of nephews and nieces, all of whom he cherished deeply: Jim Welch (Gwennan Carlson), Erin Welch Albro (Shawn), Patty Welch, James Mercer (Katie Deitz), Tommy Mercer, Mary Mercer, Katie Mercer, Ted Mercer, Olivia Knobel, Brandon Maitland, McKenna Albro, Ben Albro, Quinn Albro, Liliana Caloiero, Diem-Anh Vo (Will Martin), Lily Anh Martin, Lan-Anh Vo (Ian Cowan), Stephanie Pham, Christopher Pham, Will Lessard, and Lauren Jessica Bertini.

A celebration of life for Tom will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at the CRT Downtown, 24-26 Port Watson Street, Cortland. To stream the service, visit Tom's obituary at www.DonaldLBarberFuneralHome.com and select Live Stream. The family will receive friends and family immediately following the service, from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, we hope you will consider donating to one of the organizations that Tom passionately involved himself with over the years: The Cortland Repertory Theatre - Vibrant local arts theatre in Cortland and Homer (https://cortlandrep.org/), Center 4 the Arts of Homer - Community of artists showcasing local music, film, and art (https://center4art.org/) or iDE Global - Powering entrepreneurs to end poverty globally (https://www.ideglobal.org/)