Thomas Hollander
HOLLANDER: Thomas Hollander, 88, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2024. Thomas was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania, on March 9, 1936, the first son of Edith and Edward Hollander. Handsome with sharp hazel eyes, he was drawn to music of all kinds and studied piano, French horn, recorder and sang in the choir. He loved academics and was a champion debater. These two great loves — music and argument — would be the through line of his extraordinary life and give him purpose professionally and comfort spiritually. After graduating from Monessen High school in 1954, Thomas enrolled at Penn State where he was a member of the debate team and president of the student body. It was there that he met Barbara Ann Stone. After graduating from Penn State, he entered the University of Pittsburgh Law School where he coached their debate team, studied law and married Barbara in 1960. After passing the Pennsylvania state bar, Tom joined Evans, Ivory law firm (which in time became Evans, Ivory, Moses, Hollander and McVay), where he specialized in representing railroad and barge workers. Thomas was a talented and sought-after attorney. He argued before the Supreme Court, was president of the Allegheny County Bar Association in the late 1980s where, during his term, he was instrumental in establishing efforts and committees to address discrimination against women lawyers and lawyers of color. In addition to receiving awards and recognition as one of Pittsburgh’s best lawyers, he received the highest award from the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers — the Hon. Joseph Weis Distinguished Service Award. Tom is survived by his three children with Barbara, Scott (Teo) of Pittsburgh, Leslie of Great Falls, Virginia, and David (Courtney) of Los Angeles, and his six grandchildren — Ben, Nathaniel, Clay, Delilah, Harper and Roan. He cherished his late brother, Burton Hollander (Gail). Tom is also survived by his loving nieces Julie Eichelbaum (Dennis), Marla Farbacher (Dana) and Andrea Mallinger (Adam). Tom adored spending time at Deep Creek Lake with family and friends. He loved his alma mater and became the president of the Penn State Alumni Association, one of the largest alumni bases in the United States. He was also a champion of the arts, the Constitution, social justice, civil rights and deeply influenced by his wife Barbara’s devotion to women’s rights. He volunteered for the ACLU and tried many cases for the organization and served on the board as president. He was also the president of the many boards that cut across the legal, political and cultural spectrum of his beloved city of Pittsburgh; Neighborhood Legal Services, The Jewish Chronicle, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and the City Theatre, to name a few. Tom loved travel and the outdoors. He was an avid runner, skier, motorcyclist, sailor and tennis player. He also kept up his love for music throughout his life. He sang in the Mendelsohn Choir of Pittsburgh for decades, practiced piano daily and rarely missed a performance of the Pittsburgh Symphony. He was a beloved friend, and a fierce advocate for the disenfranchised and wrongfully hurt, injured or discriminated against. He was decent, often kind, and careful with his words and actions. He was fair. He took pleasure in small things. He lived life on his own terms and was loved very much by his family who are so grateful to have had such a powerful role model. All are welcome to attend a graveside service and burial Monday, July 15, at 2 p.m. in the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery and a September 21 or 22 celebration of life with details to be finalized. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the Barbara S. Hollander Women’s Leadership Fund at Chatham University online at Donation · Chatham University · GiveCampus, and making a memorial gift in memory of Thomas Hollander. PJC
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