Thomas Clark DePatie

1930 - 2014

QUONOCHONTAUG, R.I. - Thomas Clark DePatie, of Quonochontaug, R.I., formerly of Ridgewood, N.J., died peacefully on Friday, May 9, 2014. He was the loving husband of 59 years to the late Judith Schmidt DePatie. Born August 19, 1930 in West Hartford, Conn., he was the son of the late Oscar and Marie (Morrissey) DePatie.

Thomas was educated at the Loomis School, Windsor, Conn., and Trinity College, Hartford, Conn. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, based in Chicopee, Mass. after graduating from college.

Thomas had a 36-year career in marketing with IBM based out of Hartford, Endicott, N.Y., Baltimore Md., Ridgewood, N.J., and Palo Alto, Calif. Upon retiring from IBM, he had a successful 20-year career in real estate with the H.D. Randall Company in Westerly, R.I.

Mr. DePatie was a trustee of his beloved Trinity College from 1976 to 1981. He was class president of his 1948 class from Loomis for over 60 years. Additionally, for both of his alma maters, he worked tirelessly for the development efforts of the schools.

Thomas was an active member of the Central Beach, Quonochontaug, community, where he and his wife summered since the early 1960s and became year-round residents upon retirement in 1991. He served on the Board of Governors for the community for 20 years. He was also a member of the Charlestown Wastewater Management Commission for the State of Rhode Island, where he helped guide passage of the fundamental governing laws that shoreline communities all along the coast have mandated and copied. He was a founding member of RISC (Rhode Island Shoreline Coalition) and an active Republican in Charlestown and the State of Rhode Island.

Thomas was the devoted father of Linda DePatie Buffum and her husband, Robert, of Wellesley, Mass., Carol DePatie Piper, of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Diane (Dede) DePatie Consoli and her husband, Victor, of New Canaan, Conn. He was the loving and caring grandfather of Alexa, Todd, and Sarah Buffum; Nicholas and Lindsay Piper; and Olivia and Grace Consoli. He also leaves his brothers, Richard DePatie, of New Canaan, Conn., and Eugene DePatie, of Coto de Caza, Calif., and their wives and families. His brothers William and Robert predeceased him.

A superior athlete, Thomas played college football and baseball at Trinity. He was a member of the Quonochontaug Tennis Club and played in the softball games held there on Sundays.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, May 13 at 11 a.m. at St. Clare's Church, 4 St. Clare's Way, Westerly, R.I. Burial will be private in River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, R.I.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to one of two charities: The Loomis Chaffee School, 4 Batchelder Road, Windsor, CT 06095, or Trinity College, Development Office, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106-3100.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main St. Westerly, R.I.