Tom Anderson began his career in Aspen by setting bowling pins by hand in the two lane bowling alley and ended his career only a block away as proprietor of Pomeroy Sports. Tom has been part of Aspen most of his life, coming to Aspen for vacations and working part time. Tom and his family built a vacation home in Aspen in 1968. One of Tom’s first careers in the ski business was being a sales representative for Sport Obermeyer. He then spent a number of years as manager of Dayton’s Ski Shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After that he started his own store called Le Ski Hut in Wayzata, Minnesota in 1963 and it is still in existence today as the Sports Hut. In 1971 he sold the store and moved with his family to Aspen. Eventually, he started a children’s ski shop called P’nuts. He sold that store and purchased Pomeroy Sports in 1980. Tom was very proud that Pomeroy Sports was voted Best Local Ski Shop for many years by the Aspen Daily News. He would often say that he did not want to be the biggest ski shop, just the best.
Besides being in the ski business all of his life, Tom was also a strong supporter and promoter of the sport of skiing. He was a significant member of the Aspen Valley Ski Club board and President from 1976 to 1977. He volunteered at numerous races over the years along with watching his own two daughters, Debbie and Jill, in the program. In 2013 Tom was inducted into the Aspen Valley Ski Club Hall of Fame. In that same year he was honored as Aspen’s Winterskol King. Tom will also be inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame this coming January.
Tom became a certified FIS timing official for the World Cup races. He volunteered for 20 World Cup races and in the early 1980’s became the Chief of Race for the World Cup in Aspen. Tom further volunteered as a Ski Ambassador for a number of seasons with the Aspen Skiing Company.
Tom was also an avid bicyclist and opened a bicycle retail store for a few years in Basalt. Golf was another hobby along with enjoying extensive travels in many countries, always with family and friends.
Tom was a most devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother. He was married to Jeannette (Janny) for 54 years. He raised two daughters in Aspen, Debbie and Jill. Debbie married Gus Kadota and the two of them became managers at Pomeroy Sports. Jill is married to Mark Pisani and has been a kindergarten and first grade teacher at Aspen Elementary School for many years. Mark Pisani was also the financial manager for Pomeroy Sports. Tom also has four grandchildren, Molly and Jacob Kadota, Lawson and Brooke Pisani. Tom’s sister Joan Johnson lives at Bay Lake in Minnesota with her husband George Johnson. Tom’s younger brother Gregg Anderson followed Tom to Aspen in 1972 and became the Chaplain at Aspen Chapel for 36 years and is married to Carolyn Ethridge.
Within a month after retiring from Pomeroy Sports in 2013, Tom was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He went through treatment and was in remission for over a year until its return in January of 2015. He was born on March 7, 1937 and passed away on October 2, 2015. The celebration of his life will be held on top of Aspen Mountain on Friday, October 9, at 3:00 pm with a reception at the Sundeck to follow. The Gondola will open at 2:00 pm and is free to all attendees. The service will be held either outside at the wedding deck or inside the Sundeck. Blankets or portable chairs are recommended. Contributions in Tom Anderson’s name may be made to Aspen Valley Hospital.