Thomas "Tom" Emanuel Coryat died March 23 at his home in Newtown, where he had lived for the past 29 years. He was born on October 19, 1960, in Nyack, N.Y.

His brother, Christopher C. Coryat and wife, Eileen, of Oneonta, N.Y.; two sisters, Valerie C. Kohn of Windsor, Mass., and Joan M. Coryat and husband, Arthur Silver, of Williamsburg, Mass.; nieces, nephews, and many cousins survive him. Family was very important to him. His mother and father, Mary (Greene) and Thomas Coryat predeceased him.

He grew up in West Nyack, graduated from Clarkstown High School in 1978, and earned a BS in computer science from Fairleigh Dickinson College in 1986.

Mr Coryat worked as a software engineer for a number of companies. including Materials Research Corp, Pitney Bowes, Merlot Communications, and Sikorsky Aircraft.

He pursued his great interest in nature and photography by becoming active in several Newtown organizations - the Flagpole Photographers, the Newtown Hikers, and the Newtown Fish & Game Club.

Music played a large role in Mr Coryat's life. In addition to playing a number of instruments, he had an extensive and eclectic collection of CDs and vinyl numbering in the hundreds.

For many years he was a practicing Sufi, active with a group in Yonkers, N.Y., and participated in annual retreats to The Abode of the Message in New Lebanon, N.Y. He was a kind and generous person with a keen sense of humor always willing to help his technically challenged family and friends.

A celebration of Mr Coryat's life will take place on October 22, at 2 pm, at The Abode of the Message in New Lebanon.

Those who wish to remember Mr Coryat may consider a donation to Catholic Charities, catholiccharitiesusa.org, or Doctors Without Borders, doctorswithoutborders.org, two organizations that he supported.