Reflection on the Life of Dr. Thomas Lelon, Former President of HCHC and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees

It is with a heavy heart and a spirit full of gratitude that I provide a reflection on Dr. Thomas Lelon, a man who meant so much to Hellenic College Holy Cross, to the Church, and to everyone blessed to cross his path. I am deeply moved when I think of him, not just because of all he accomplished (and he accomplished plenty), but because of who he was: a soul drawn close to Christ by the Father’s call, a man whose life showed us what faith looks like when it’s lived out loud.

Drawn to Christ by the Father: I can’t help but think of that verse from John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” That was Tom. You could see it in him; the Father had pulled him toward Jesus, and it shaped everything he did. His faith wasn’t something he kept tucked away for Sundays; it spilled over into every moment. He had this gentle way about him, a kindness that made you feel like he saw straight into your heart.

I remember watching him talk to people: students wrestling with big questions, staff carrying heavy loads, even folks he’d just met. He’d stop everything and listen, really listen, with this patience that felt almost holy. It wasn’t forced or showy; it was just Tom being Tom. He made you feel like you mattered, like he saw Christ in you. I think that’s because he’d been drawn so close to Jesus himself; he couldn’t help but share that love with everyone else.

A Servant Leader who Lived His Faith: When he was President of HCHC, Dr. Lelon didn’t lead like someone chasing power. He led like a servant, the way Jesus showed us when He washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:14-15). His staff didn’t just work for him; they loved him. I’ll never forget one of them telling me, “He made us feel like family; he believed in us even when we weren’t sure we deserved it.” That was his gift. He never raised his voice or let impatience get the better of him. Instead, he built people up, always pointing them toward something bigger.

His office door was always open. If you needed him, he was there, no matter how busy he was. He didn’t care about the spotlight; he cared about the people around him. That kind of humility, that strength, it came straight from his faith. He lived like he knew the Father’s love, and he wanted everyone else to know it too.

A Heart Revealed in Everyday Moments: Some of my favorite memories of Dr. Lelon are the quiet ones, the times we’d sit and talk about God. He had this way of making faith feel so real, so close. One night, I remember him saying, “God’s love is boundless, and He asks us to give it away to others.” His face lit up as he added, “That’s what keeps us going, knowing we’re loved and we can love like that.” Those words stuck with me, not because they were fancy, but because they came from his heart.

And then there was his habit of saying, “Christ is with us.” He’d say it all the time: to say hello, to lift someone up, or just to remind us God was near. It wasn’t a throwaway line for him; it was everything. He believed it with his whole being, and he lived it too. Every kind word, every moment he spent helping someone, it all flowed from that truth. He showed me that faith isn’t just something we talk about; it’s something we carry into every day, something that changes how we treat people.

A Legacy of Peace and Love: Dr. Lelon’s life touched everything he cared about: his family, the Church, his country, and all those years he gave to HCHC as president and trustee. He faced hard times with this steady trust, like he knew the Father who’d drawn him to Christ wasn’t going anywhere. Being around him brought a kind of peace, the kind St. Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” That was Tom’s gift to us: a peace that came from the love filling his heart.

A Lasting Impact of Faith: When I picture Dr. Lelon, I see a man who lived his faith every step of the way. His staff adored him for how he cared, his family leaned on his quiet strength, and those of us lucky enough to call him a friend felt our own faith grow deeper because of him. The way he treated people, with kindness, patience, and generosity, was like a living sermon, showing us Jesus because the Father had shown Him to Tom first.

Now that he’s fallen asleep in the Lord, I hold tight to Matthew 25:23, trusting he’s heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Dr. Thomas Lelon was a gift: a servant leader, a man of Christ’s love.

May he rest in the joy of his Lord, and may we honor him by treating others with the same grace and faith that defined his remarkable life.

Rev. Dn. Gary Alexander, EdD, JD
Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, 2025