Thomas Robert Christine

Tom was born in Evansville, IN, on July 28, 1949, the youngest of three children. He married Debbie Stennette on May 21, 2020. Tom lived most of his life in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. He graduated from Dallas Jesuit High School in 1967. While there, he was an avid participant in debate, speech, and drama activities. Tom’s penchant for comedy—including his infectious laugh, wry sense of humor, and matter of fact manner—led him to win starring roles in several drama production comedies, notably A Thousand Clowns. These early experiences cemented his interest in all forms of communication and media.

He attended the University of Notre Dame where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1971. Afterwards, he earned a master’s degree at the University of Denver. His first job was at Tufts University in Boston in the Audio-Visual department.

Tom’s interests in both sports and broadcasting communications came together and eventually led him to a lifetime career in sports editing. He traveled the US and the world to cover sports events. He worked for ESPN, Fox and NBC Universal as a video editor covering drag racing and golf. Golf was his first love. He covered the PGA, LPGA and the Champions Tour as well as international tournaments like the British Open. He became an expert editing engineer, hailed by his colleagues and well known in his field of professional golf broadcasting. He loved the travel as much as the golf, and he forged many dear and lifelong friendships with his colleagues in sports broadcasting.

In addition to Tom’s passion for golf, he was a skier and an avid biker. He could be found on the slopes of Taos Ski Valley and Colorado well into his sixties. He greatly enjoyed daily rides along all the trails near his home. Tom was also an avid gardener, beginning with landscaping the pool at his first house, to designing the garden at his last home.

Well-known to his families and friends, Tom made a daily visit to Starbucks (wherever he was) to buy his coffee with four espresso shots. Friends also recall that he always carried himself well and was a fashionable dresser. One friend recalled that he would regale them with his father’s recipe for gin and tonics—especially “how to deal with the lime.” Whenever he visited, he brought his hosts his newest discovery of a Texas vodka.

Tom is survived by his wife, Debbie, and his daughter, Courtney. Also surviving are his sisters, Julie (Jim)Turner, and Mary Hayes and his nieces and nephews, Peter (Deena), Christopher (Biza), Kate (Jamie) and Will (Kristina), and six grandnieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and June Christine and his grandparents.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 11:00 AM at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 5725 Colleyville Boulevard, Colleyville TX. Online condolences may be expressed at www.bluebonnethills.com

Flowers are welcome as well as contributions to Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Research at lustgarten.org.