Subject: [NEXTEL-1] OFF TOPIC: Dr. Thomas J. Blocker - Dean, Professor, Scholar, Fellow, Researcher, Humanitarian, Enthusiast and My Friend-

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 09:32:12 -0400

A True "Morehouse Man"

Dr. Thomas J. Blocker - Dean, Professor, Scholar, Fellow, Researcher, Humanitarian,
Enthusiast and My Friend-

5/16/03
Last week (May 9,2003) we lost one of the "Good Guys" my friend Dr. Thomas J. Blocker,
affectionately known as "Blocker". Yesterday was a rough one we buried my friend "Blocker"
but today is much better.  While I was never a "Morehouse Man" he  showed me what it meant
to be a "Morehouse Man".  His contributions to society are ones some can only dream of.
While very accomplished he always remained humble. Please take a moment to read about  my
friend, fellow Educator and Enthusiast "Blocker".

Marcel-

====================================================================================

DR. THOMAS J. BLOCKER (hon. '97)

To the many who knew and loved Thomas J. Blocker, his life ended seemingly all too soon.
Yet, when one contemplates the largesse of his many accomplishments and achievements, it
is clear that the breadth and depth of his tremendous work could fill another lifetime.
The wearer of many hats as Class Dean, director, scholar, educator, mentor, coordinator,
liaison officer, fund raiser, student advocate, and friend, he was affectionately more
often referred to as "Dean".

Born on June15, 1951, to the late James Blocker and Sallie Mae Holmes Blocker, inAiken,
South Carolina, Dean Blocker at an early age joined the Ocean Grove Baptist Church in that
city. The spiritual foundation and teachings of his upbringing were a major influence on
his work ethic and on his unrelenting commitment to everything of which he was a part.

Dean Blocker entered Morehouse in 1969, and was later a Charles E. Merrill Scholar at the
University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, at the Institute of European Studies from
1972-1973.  During the summer of 1972, he was a Macy Research Scholar in the Department of
Biochemistry at Emory University School of Medicine. He graduated with honors and a B.S.
degree in Biology from Morehouse College in 1974 (one year after his class because of
study abroad).

He was a student at Emory University School of Medicine from 1974-1976, and in the summer
of 1975, he held a completing the master qualifying exam in the research area in 1980. His
thesis was The Biochemical Characterization of Erythrocyte Cytoskeltal Protein 4.1 during
the Aging of Norman Erythrocytes.

He was admitted to Clark Atlanta as a Ph.D candidate and completed 70 graduate hours. From
1972-73, he was a mental health counselor at Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta, and the
following year he was a research associate in health physics at the U.S. Atomic Energy
Commission, Savannah River plant.

When Dean Blocker returned to his beloved alma mater in 1976, as instructor in the
Department of Biology, he assumed a high calling to service that was to change many lives
forever. For, it was a Morehouse College that literally thousands of students came under
his tutelage in his role as Coordinator of the Office of Health Professions Tutorial
Program and Summer Science Programs; Coordinator of the Medical College Admissions
Test-Dental Admissions Test preparation Course;
Director of the Summer Science Institute; Director of the Health Careers Opportunity
Program; Director of Black Church/Black College Science Turtoring Program in Association
with the American Association for Advancement of Science; Chief Premedical Advisor; member
of the Morehouse Administrative Council, Dean of the Senior Class, and Director of the
Office of Health Professions.

As pre-medical advisor during the past 27 years, Dean Blocker has recruited and enrolled
over 2,100 young men and women in his summer programs. A large number of these sudents, as
well as others whom he has mentored, entered and completed medical programs, dental
programs, and M.D.-Ph.D., M.D.-J.D. or D.D.S.-Ph.D. programs. Tireless in his fund raising
efforts, Dean Blocker was responsible for establishing 41 scholarships to assist students
who otherwise might not be able to complete their undergraduate degree and attend a
medical or professional school.

The crowning honor came in 1997, when Meharry Medical College bestowed upon Dean Blocker
the honorary doctorate of humane letters. Another tribute was paid to him by the Princeton
Review after he served on the Princeton Review Advisory Board, praising him for having
made an outstanding contribution to the education, counseling and role modeling for
African American male students. He has helped several thousand African American male
premedical students further their career. Appointed by Morehouse President Walter Massey
as liaison officer for the school in the United Negro College Fund/Hope organization, Dean
Blocker received the General Biology Student's Outstanding Teacher award six times.

Among his other honors and recognitions are awards from the Summer Science Institute,
Public Health Sciences Institute, Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy Club, Predental
Society, Health Careers Society and the Summer Academy. He was author of an artical which
appeared in the newsletter of the American Association of Medical Colleges and was
reprinted in the Student National Medical Association Journal entitled Successful
Strategies for Pre-Medical Students. In his on-going resolve to remain abreast of
information crucial to preparing students to achieve and excel, Dean Blocker was a member
of the National Association of Advisors for Health Professions, National Association of
Medical Minority Educators,
Southern Region; National Association of Medical Minority Educators, American Association
of University Professors, Beta Kappa Chi Scientific Honor Society, National Association of
College Deans and Administrators and National Associaton for the Advancement of Science.

Dean Blocker also made numerous presentations and organized and directed many conferences,
several of which were the only one of its kind in the nation. With his seemingly
indefatigable efforts to ensure the best training and opportunities for his students,
sometimes even at the expense of his own health, Dean Blocker taught his students: "Do
your best, not because your work is worth it, but because you are." In this and other
respects, Dean Blocker lived the "sermons he preached." He was firm in his expectations of
his students, yet compassionate in his care and support of their efforts to overcome
obstacles.

Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 5/11/2003 -

http://www.legacy.com/atlanta/LegacysubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=1002908

* Note: If you want to express your sympathy to the family, please make a gift to the
THOMAS J. BLOCKER
scholarship fund, the fund supports students who are preparing to enter the medical
profession. Donations can be
sent to Morehouse College Office of  Institutional Advancement, 830 Westview Drive, S.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
30314-3773 or https://www.morehousealumniandfriends.com/efr/index.asp

Thanks
Marcel-
==================================================================================

From: Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 5/16/2003.
Thomas Blocker

News Obituary Article

DECATUR: Thomas Blocker, Morehouse dean

By J.E. GESHWILER

Thomas Blocker was a big man on the Morehouse College campus ---
imposing physically and a large positive influence on its students for
27 years.

"Of all Dean Blocker's achievements at Morehouse, most notable was
his leadership of our health career programs. Year after year, he sent
more African-American males into health careers than any other
college in the country," said Dr. Walter Massey of Atlanta, president
of Morehouse. "Moreover, he was a beloved and excellent teacher
with a string of outstanding instructor awards for his courses in
biology," Dr. Massey said.

"Tom was more student-oriented than any faculty member I've ever
known," said a Morehouse colleague, Dr. John Haynes of Atlanta. "He
was a pied piper of students. They believed in him and felt they could
talk with him."

"Tom was steeped in Morehouse tradition and was a great admirer of
its former president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, often inviting him back to
speak," Dr. Haynes said. "Dean Blocker kept me on task and made me
a better student," said Mychal Smith, a senior from Miami. "He could
make you feel you could do anything, like getting into med school."
The funeral for Mr. Blocker, 51, of Decatur was Thursday. He died of a
heart attack May 9 at DeKalb Medical Center. Alfonso Dawson
Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Blocker, dean of the junior and senior classes, devoted most of his
time to Morehouse, said his sister Elouise Cummings of Tucker, but
enjoyed traveling and exploring interesting cities.

He relished the soul food restaurants near the Morehouse campus. A
hearty eater, he even had friends bring him hot dogs with extra onion
when he was hospitalized recently, his sister said.

He was a huge fan of Morehouse football and attended all the team's
home games and many of them away. "He bled Morehouse maroon,"
said Dr. Haynes.

Survivors include another sister, Bertha Mae Brown, and two brothers,
Rudolph Blocker and Wilson Blocker, all of Aiken, S.C.

Dean Thomas Blocker guided a host of Morehouse students into health
careers.

Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 5/16/2003.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/obits/0503/15blocker.html
========================================================================
From Morehouse College

Distinguished alumnus, educator, mentor and friend, Dr. Thomas J. Blocker '73/'74 dies

On behalf of President Massey and the entire Morehouse College faculty and staff, we
regret to inform you of
the recent death of a dedicated professor, mentor, dean, brother and friend, Alumnus
Thomas J. Blocker '74
who died Friday evening, May 9, 2004 at Peachtree-Dekalb Hospital in Atlanta. He was just
51.

Earlier this week, he went into cardiac arrest and then a coma and never regained
consciousness. He died at
8:00 last night. Final plans are being arranged to have his funeral on Thursday, May 15,
2004 at the Martin
Luther King Jr. International Chapel at 11:00 a.m.

Affectionately known as "Dean Blocker", "Tom", or simply "Dean", he was a native of South
Carolina and
had been a long-time, beloved member of the faculty and senior administration since the
mid-70's.

During his distinguished tenure at Morehouse, Tom served as biology professor and as the
director of the well
respected, Morehouse Premedical and Predental Health Careers Program. He is widely
regarded for his
unparalleled work in assisting Morehouse graduates in their pursuit to becoming physicians
and dentists.

Serving with distinction, under the mentorship of a log line of biology giants such as Dr.
Samuel Nabrit '25, Dr.
Frederick Mapp '32, Dr. Ronald Sheehy '65, Dr. J.K. Haynes '64, and Dr. Clarence Clark '63
and many others,
he was a treasure to Morehouse College and the biology department.

While at Morehouse, Tom was a Merrill Scholar and a brilliant scholar of science and
Morehouse history. In
1998, Tom received the honorary doctorate in medicine from Meharry Medical College under
the presidency of
Dr. John Maupin. He received this honor in recognition of both his scholarship and his
role in preparing more
black males for careers in medicine than perhaps anyone in the last quarter century at
Morehouse.

Until earlier this academic year, Dr. Blocker also served the College as Junior and Senior
Class Dean and
mentored thousands of young scholars, in all majors, in their quest to become Morehouse
graduates. He will
truly be missed.

Dean Blocker also served on the Princeton Review Advisory Board. On Tom's career, the
Review once stated,
"Thomas Blocker has made an outstanding contribution to the education, counseling and role
modeling for
African American male students. He is a premedical advisor and instructor at Morehouse
College, and has
helped several thousand African American male premedical students further their careers."
- Princeton Review

We will provide a more detailed biography on his life and contributions to Morehouse
College early next week.
We simply wanted to inform you of the loss of our gentle giant, Tom, who walked with
kings, but never lost the
common touch.

We hope you will join us in saying farewell to this good and faithful servant.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Blocker family.

http://www.morehousealumniandfriends.com/news/

5/10/03