Thomas B. Griglun

MERIDEN - Thomas B. Griglun, former Meriden Probate judge, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. His wife, the former Florence Pinkevich, predeceased him.

Surviving him are his sons, John and his wife, Jean; Michael and his wife, Linda; and Thomas C. Griglun. He is also survived by his six grandchildren, James, Jennifer, Joseph, Catherine, Sarah and Andrew; and his three great-grandchildren. Also surviving him are his brother, James and his wife, Susan Griglun; and longtime friend, Cynthia Swift.

Judge Griglun graduated from Bassick High School in Bridgeport. He was active in student government and played varsity football and was voted "Best Athlete" in his graduating class. He earned an A.B. at Brown University where he was a dean's list student, a Francis Wayland scholar and played varsity football. He also earned M.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Connecticut. He began legal practice in 1959. He was a member of the Connecticut and Federal Bars. In the later years of his practice he served as a Superior Court Trial Magistrate. He was twice elected Judge Probate for the District of Meriden by what the local newspapers called "landslide victories". He retired in 1994.

He was active in many law-related activities, serving as President of the local bar and as Editor of its newsletter. For many years he was a member of the Board of Governors of the Connecticut Bar Association. He was also a member of the American Bar Association committee advising the republic of Slovakia on court reorganization and was a contributing author to a "Concept paper on specialized court's" published by the American Bar Association. He was an officer and active member of the Lithuanian American Bar Association which was instrumental in initiating and implementing law reform in newly independent Lithuania, whose legal system had been subverted by 50 years of Soviet occupation and repression. In 1999 and 2000 he taught trust law at the University of Vytautas the Great in Kaunas, Lithuania.

He was a veteran of World War II having served in the South Pacific with the USAF. Active in veteran's affairs, he was for many years the Judge Advocate of the Polish Legion of American Veteran's and of the Disabled American Veterans, from whom he received DAV's "Distinguished Service Award." He was a parishioner of St. Stanislaus R.C. Church. He was legal counsel to Father Kriss during his administration, a member of the church's St. Cecilia Choir, a charter member of the Holy Name Society, chairman of the Renew program, and member of the St. Stanislaus School Board. He was a member of the Kiwanis for over 40 years. He also served on the board of directors of the Salvation Army, Easter Seals, and Friends of the Meriden Library of which he was President from 1984 to 1988. He also was on many scholarship committees' including the Kiwanis, Swedock and Meriden Foundation panels. He was President of the Meriden Foundation from 2007 to 2008 and presently.

He enjoyed playing a Mandolin and in 1973 established a musical group known as the Peasant Symphony Society, consisting of Peter Salomone, accordion; Walter Alwang, guitar; Ginger Alwang, auto-harp; with he and Dena Vouras, playing mandolin's. The group featured European folk music selected from his collection of over 3000 folk songs. The group played for local church groups, convalescent homes and community organizations.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, April 2, at 9:15 a.m. from the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main St., Meriden and at 10 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Church for a Mass of Christian burial. Burial with military honors will be at St. Stanislaus cemetery. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Monday, April 1, from 5 to 8 pm. Memorial contributions can be made to The CT Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405 or the American Cancer Society, New England Division, 38 Richards Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-2328. For online condolences, please visit www.jferryfh.com