Thomas Charles Eshelman

Thomas Eshelman 09/22/1927 - 07/24/2021 Thomas Charles Eshelman, known to all as Pop, passed away at home on July 24 in the company of his family. Pop was born September 22, 1927 in Dayton, Ohio to Winifred LeJeune and Harry Eshelman. Upon finishing high school in 1945 he joined the Navy, serving during the final months of World War II and several years beyond. His Navy years were a source of pride and many fond memories. He loved jazz, and on postwar leave he got to stand shoulder to shoulder with greats like Lester Young in the nightclubs of Philadelphia and New York. Pop attended Dayton University on the G.I. Bill and earned his master's degree and Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati, where he met his wife-to-be, Doris Schwarz. Pop and Doris were happily married for 63 years before her passing in 2018. Over the course of a long and rewarding career, Pop taught German language and literature at the University of Pittsburgh, Denison University, and East Stroudsburg University before switching over to the philosophy department at ESU, continuing in that field for over twenty years. Constantly in pursuit of knowledge, he was fluent in at least three languages and taught himself to read perhaps a dozen others. At ESU, he shared with students the teachings of philosophers he had studied for years for his own edification. He is remembered by many former students as a generous and caring mentor and a captivating lecturer, and by more than a few as a dear friend. Pop is survived by his sons and their families: Raoul and wife Juliette, Jan and partner Sally, Kristian and wife Sarah, and Nicholas and wife Kristin; grandchildren Jan Jr., Tony, Holly, Noah, and Lukas; step-grandchildren Jenny and Alex; nine great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and his brother Ray and Ray's wife, Alice, as well as their children. He will be deeply missed. A memorial gathering will be held Saturday, August 7, at the family home. Tributes and condolences may be left at Bensing-Thomas Funeral Home.