Ernest Thomas Northardt

On December 24, 2025, our sweet Tom was unexpectedly taken from earthly life in a tragic accident. Tom was born on January 10, 1982 to Cindy and Thomas Northardt in Roslindale, MA. Attending elementary and middle school in Arlington MA, he moved to Randolph during his later middle school and high school years. It was there that Tom met some of his most influential and cherished friends for life. Always described as fun-loving, loyal, and industrious, Tom graduated Valedictorian from Blue Hills Regional Vocational High School and went on to further his studies at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. At UMD, Tom earned his Bachelor's degree , Master's degree, and PhD in the field of electrical engineering. In the process of learning every detail he could about his field (which often included doing complex calculus "for fun"), Tom grew close to the team of advisors and faculty at UMD, and it was this team that helped lead him into many great career successes in the field developing acoustic technologies used in defense by the U.S. Navy and eventually welcoming him back as a professor at UMD. During his senior undergraduate year at UMD, Tom met and fell in love with his "lovely bride," Bethany Enos. Both attended a Christian ministry group designed to explore faith beliefs among people with varying backgrounds while sharing a homemade dinner. From the day she met Tom, Bethany knew they were destined to be married; being the studious investigator he was, it took Tom about a year to confirm that information, also. Tom and Bethany's individual faith journeys then lead the couple into the next chapter of life together with their union in marriage on the most hot and humid July day in 2007. The long, outdoor service still has guests of the wedding discussing the cases of heat stroke from that blessed event. In 2012, the couple welcomed their long prayed for son, Charlie, and in 2015 a daughter, Natalie. Tom and Bethany created a home for their children, instilling their core values founded in the love of God, each other, and the world around us. Tom took great pride in being a man of God, and it was by humbly following Jesus that Tom developed into the person of character known by so many people today. He was a reliable and loving husband, father, son, and friend. He believed in persistent striving for personal growth, refinement, and growing nearer to God. Tom loved cheat meals and wine on Saturday nights, naps anytime he could sneak one, the peace of morning coffee and prayer time with God, summers spent at the beach clamming and swimming with his family, amusement parks, breakfast dates with his favorite "Seamie" (the nickname he and Bethany had for each other) staying fit at the gym, and Tom LOVED to dance. He would often be the first and last one on the dance floor at a wedding, smiling his trademark goofy ear to ear grin. This past summer, Tom was able to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams of purchasing his dream car, a 1987 IROC Z-28 Camaro (with tune port- he would NEED you to know it was fuel injected), so he could restore it to its original glory. His smile on the day he picked up that car was everything. Tom and Charlie spent hours working on Tom's project car until its near completion. He deeply valued the time he spent teaching Charlie ways to build and fix things "like men!", and spent hours cuddling his little Natalie on the couch or lying with her for "5 more cozy minutes" in the mornings. Tom could always be found helping others in need. Whether it was making sure he had cash in his wallet so he could hand it to the homeless, fixing something for a friend in need, or simply being a source of consistent kindness to strangers, Tom strove to embody the values of the Lord he dedicated his life to. Tom is survived by his mother, Cindy, his wife, Bethany, his children, Charlie and Natalie, his brother Thomas, and countless extended family members and friends. As an "honorary Enos" he is also mourned by the members of the Enos family who considered him one of their own. A Celebration of Life for our beloved Tom will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM at Trinity Community Church in Norwood, MA followed by coffee time with light refreshments at the Trinity Community Church for all. In lieu of flowers, please choose how you would like to honor Tom. Whether it's showing kindness to a stranger, or making a donation to Trinity Community Church, or a donation to Marked Men for Christ Ministry, Tom would simply want you to do what you could to help others. Although we rejoice in knowing that Tom is in heavenly peace with Christ, the earthy loss of Tom is profound and he will be deeply missed. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4