Thomas Frederick Grose passed away due to the effects of cancer on May 24, 2013. He was born in Long Beach, California on July 21, 1930, to the late Frederick and Hazel Amland Grose. He is survived by his sister, Susan Ann Grose and her husband George Timberlake of Overland Park, Kansas; and two nephews and many other family members.  He graduated from South Pasadena - San Marino High School in 1948 as Valedictorian of his class.  He entered Stanford University with the Class of 1952 and later graduated from UCLA.  He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1958.

Tom had a long and successful career as a CPA, starting with the Ernst and Ernst accounting firm.  He later went into practice on his own and continued to serve clients until October 2012.  He was a life member of the California Society of CPAs (CalCPA), which he joined in 1958.  In 1998 he served on the Los Angeles Chapter of the Non-Profit Committee of CalCPA.  He was involved in numerous Los Angeles-area philanthropic organizations, serving on boards, and often as treasurer or accountant.  Tom was involved in the early days of the Music Center of Los Angeles County in the leadership of the Music Center Operating Company.  As a Music Center Founder, he was a longtime, generous supporter of all leadership of the Music Center companies and made a legacy gift to the Music Center Foundation, a symbol of his great passion for the performing arts.

Tom was a railroad and model railroad enthusiast, traveling throughout the West to ride historic lines. Among his fondest recollections was the Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado narrow-gauge railroad run over Cumbres Pass and through Toltec Gorge.  He donated the primary funding for the Thomas F. Grose Library and Research Center at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California and was a member of numerous railroad societies.  He was active with area youth, coaching Little League baseball in San Marino and leading church youth groups on camping trips.  He often helped people get back on their feet after falling on hard times, offering them work and a place to stay.  He had an enduring interest in animals and plants.  He loved dogs--especially Dalmatians--and religiously kept the bird feeders in his yard stocked so nothing with feathers would go hungry.  His home garden featured a wide variety of traditional and tropical garden plants and trees including camellias, ferns, hydrangeas, fruit trees, and roses, some of which are over 50 years old.

Pasadena Star-News, May 31, 2013