In Memoriam

Robert Francis Tomain

Bob Tomain

Bob Tomain
1963 graduation

TOMAIN, Robert (Bob) Francis

Born October 5th, 1941 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was the oldest of three children. Graduated from Yale University and received an MBA from Georgia State University. Married Marlene Galket also of Pittsburgh in 1963.

After serving four years as a captain in the Air Force, he began a life time career in the mortgage lending industry culminating in becoming CEO and Chairman of Home Federal Savings & Loan in Atlanta and HomeBanc, which became the largest home lender in the Metro area. Under his leadership, innovative concepts were introduced to the industry. Ultimately, Home Federal became the first Savings & Loan in Georgia traded on NASDAQ. After the successful sale of the company he held several board of director positions with local financial institutions.

In 1996, he ran with the Olympic torch for the games held in Atlanta.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years; his three daughters, Leslie Tomain, Robin Shelley, Shelley Taylor and six grandchildren (all within the Atlanta metropolitan area); and his sister, Nanci Tomain of Pittsburgh, PA. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Doris (Broz) Tomain and his brother, John Tomain.

Mr. Tomain passed away at Emory's St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta on August 1st, 2015. He will be remembered for his generosity, outspoken honesty, caring for those he deeply loved and singing his version of Blue Moon.

The family is honoring his request for a private memorial service. Donations may be made in his name for cancer research at donate.cancer.org

Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Aug. 6, 2015

from Jim Little:

I am sad to report that Bob Tomain YC ’63 died August 1, 2015.

He was one of our roommates in Berkeley. He was a wonderful guy who valiantly fought mouth and then throat cancer for several years, enduring many procedures and much medical treatment.

He participated in all of our Berkeley roommate mini-reunions over the years with Dillion Hoey, Ned Mason, Lee Marsh, Nelson Levy, Rees Jones, Tom Fake, Dick Cheney, Dick Ainsworth ’64, Walt Macauley ’64 and me.

Bob started dating Marlene who would become his wife of 52 years while at Yale in 1960. I started dating my future wife, Molly, the same year. We have maintained a friendship with them all this time and got to see them most recently in March along with Nelson and his wife, Louisa. At that time, he was on a feeding tube and spoke in a hoarse quiet voice, but was full of life and spirit and flashed his old sense of humor.

He will be missed by all who knew him.