The AFS family is very saddened about the untimely loss of Dr. Tom Kwak, Leader of the North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. Tom passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Friday, November 19, 2021, at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, Illinois. Tom was Past President of the AFS Southern Division and previously served as president of the Education Section and the North Carolina Chapter. He left behind his wife, Danielle Pender (who is also an AFS member), and two children, Jacob & Alexandra (Alex).
His obituary can be found at the link below.
Additional information is available on the North Carolina chapter website at: https://nc.fisheries.org/kwak-memorial/
A Memorial Mass service will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 am on December 10, 2021, at the Sacred Heart Church, 200 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27603. An informal gathering of family and friends will be held from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on December 10, 2021, at the Montague Lake Pavillion,10301 Penny Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606.
Education funds have been established for the Kwak children, Jacob and Alex, through the College Foundation of North Carolina, 529 Plan. To make a donation in Tom’s memory, click on the link to the CFNC gift page at the link below. Enter the following information: Participant’s Name: Danielle Pender, Beneficiary’s Name: Jacob Kwak, Account Number 540665185-001 and Beneficiary’s Name: Alexandra Kwak, Account Number 540665185-002, and then print the page and mail it in with your contribution.
If you are interested in sharing tributes with Tom’s family about his wide impact in the world, you can leave remembrances through the online guestbook at the link below. We are sure his wife and children would appreciate comments and stories.