Tom Sauerman, the co-founder of the Philadelphia chapter of PFLAG, died June 21 at age 82.
Fran Kirschner, a former board member of PFLAG Philadelphia, noted Sauerman wrote the guide “Read This Before Coming Out To Your Parents,” which became the organization’s main source of revenue after he got it copyrighted. Kirschner said this helped the organization “tremendously.”
Kirschner remembered Sauerman’s compassion the most and said he was welcoming to all members of PFLAG. She noted that there were few resources back when PFLAG was originally founded but said Sauerman “was a resource in and of himself.”
After Sauerman left the organization, Kirschner would frequently reach out to him for assistance.
“Whenever I called him and said, ‘I need this. Could you help out with this?’ he was right there without a doubt,” Kirschner said. “He just said, ‘Yes.’”
“For many of us, he was ‘PFLAG Philadelphia’ for the longest time,” Kirschner added.
Ellie Seif worked as PFLAG’s program coordinator from 1989-2003. She described Sauerman’s personality as “open and friendly.” Seif met Sauerman in 1988 when he held meetings in his home and noted that he provided emotional support to other members. She recalled how communities had discussions based on whether homosexuality was a choice and said Sauerman helped people “understand what it meant.”
“Tom was welcoming, supportive and understanding [of] where everybody was coming from and he just knew instinctively how to get people involved, how to support them [and] get them involved in supporting PFLAG and reaching out,” Seif said. “He did that with my husband and myself. He’s just incredible in the way in which he organized PFLAG, the way in which it grew [and] the way in which it supported people over the years.”
Seif added that Sauerman helped many parents accept their children as they were coming out.
“It’s a journey and he helped us and many people along that journey by the way in which he helped you and the way in which he organized PFLAG,” she said.
Sauerman is survived by his wife, Sue; his sons, David L. and Michael N.; his grandchildren, Rachel Piers and Joseph; his great-granddaughter, Kaimana; his brothers, Howard and Gary; his daughter-in-law, Pamela; his son-in-law, Tim; his grandson-in-law, Christian; his sisters-in-law Marilyn and Pat; and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by extended family members, including Cheryl, Deborah, Kathryn, Rhoda and Samantha.
A celebration of Sauerman’s life is planned for Sept. 2. Individuals can send donations in his memory to the Green Fund at Cathedral Village.