My husband, Tom Maley, who has died aged 84, combined an exacting professional life in education, computing and braille with a musician’s appetite for company and mischief. Blind since early childhood, Tom refused the role of the heroic “overcomer”. He simply got on with things, usually at speed, with a running commentary that made any room feel more alive.
Tom lost his sight before his third birthday because of retinoblastoma, an aggressive childhood tumour that led to the removal of both eyes. Blindness shaped his methods, but never diminished his curiosity or sense of fun. He was a great raconteur, and his stories, delivered with exquisite timing and utmost relish, were as much part of his social life as his music.
