From "Card Colm" Mulcahy: Tom Rodgers -- the man who for 20 years was the main driving force behind Gatherings for Gardner and other far-reaching initiatives to shine new light on the rich legacy of Martin Gardner-- has died in Atlanta. He was 67. The last few days of March and the first day of April saw g4g10 held at the Ritz Carlton downtown, as scheduled. It was a great success, despite the unease in the air once attendees learnt that Tom was gravely ill. It was his express wish that the meeting proceed as usual, and by and large, he got his wish. On the Saturday afternoon, at his insistence, a long-standing tradition was observed, when several hundred people gathered in the grounds of his amazing house in Buckhead for six or seven hours, and engaged in the standard activities of mathematical sculpture building or observing, eating, networking and relaxing with like-minded spirits. Attendees there (who also spoke at the 4 day conference) ranged from age 12 to 92, not to mention a well-known and sprightly 95 year old from Calgary. That morning, Tom had chaired a g4g board meeting at his home. He remained active in, and passionate about, his vocation as long as he could. What Tom led the way in doing for the past two decades was bringing together, from all over the world, talented people in the arts and sciences, from mathematicians and logicians and magicians, to sculptors and puzzle and game inventors. This often resulted in spectacular interactions and collaborations, very much in the spirit of Martin Gardner. We are all the richer for it. A legendary puzzle collector himself, Tom had no advanced training in mathematics or magic, but could count among his friends (and frequent house guests) the likes of John H. Conway, Elwyn Berlekamp, Roger Penrose, Lennart Green, Mark Setteducati and Will Shortz. Along with his second wife Sarah Garvin, he was also a true connoisseur of fine wine and food, and those fortunate enough to enjoy hospitality (sometimes with cookery book author Shirley Corriher in residence) in their authentic Japanese house are unlikely to forget it. It's up to the rest of us to ensure that what he started, especially the worldwide "anyone can join in" Celebration of Mind events, continue for decades to come. http://wiki.yak.net/1018 https://web.archive.org/web/20170727013819/http://wiki.yak.net/1018

From Neil Calkin: Martin Gardner is perhaps responsible for more people becoming professional mathematicians (and possibly magicians and jugglers too) than anyone else in history. Tom Rodgers was the moving force behind a conference in 1993 in Atlanta in Martin Gardner's honor: the first Gathering for Gardner attracted many mathematicians, jugglers, puzzlers, sceptics and magicians, to a conference to celebrate his influence. (As an attendee at the peripheral vendor area of the conference, I can attest that it was fun even at a distance). Years later, I finally scored an invitation to the conference, and met Tom Rodgers, still in charge of the meeting, and still running the show (as indeed he did to the very end). A man with a mission, retired after a long and successful career, he wanted to make sure that every aspect of the meeting ran smoothly: checking with every participant that things were all good, making sure that if people had not paid to attend a dinner event that it was because they really didn't want to attend that evening's festivities (and usually persuading them that the real did!), and hosting an incredible party at his house for all the hundreds of conference attendees. After Martin Gardner died in 2010, Tom and others came up with the idea of Celebration of Mind, to be held annually on or about Gardner's birthday. In 2011, there were Celebrations held on every continent, including Antarctica, and at the 2012 Gathering for Gardner, a plea was made for a CoM to be held at the North Pole. Tom's contribution to the life of the mind has been that of a catalyst: to bring together hundreds of incredible people, to give them a forum to meet, to communicate, and to interact with amazing individuals from different disciplines, to form connections, and to inspire. In 2010, I described one day at the G4G9 as the best day I've had in my life so far. That reflects how I feel about the contribution Tom made, and the impact that he has had. He will be sorely missed. But our greatest tribute to him will be to keep his Gatherings, and the Celebrations of Mind, going strong! http://wiki.yak.net/1019 https://web.archive.org/web/20151123011145/http://wiki.yak.net/1019