Thomas J. Bardon

Thomas J. Bardon
1940 - 2024
Chicopee
Thomas J. Bardon, 84, passed away at home on September 2, 2024, with his family at his side. Born in Springfield on June 11, 1940, Tom was the son of the late Peter and Estelle (Sitarz) Bardon. He graduated from Chicopee High School in 1958 and attended the Wentworth Institute of Technology, in Boston. For over 35 years, he owned and operated Custom Electronics – "The Business That Service Built", in Chicopee Center, and later followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, serving as President of Chicopee Provision Co., home of the famed Blue Seal kielbasa. Born a "blue baby," with Tetralogy of Fallot, Tom was never expected to live such a long and valuable life. In 1949, he received life-saving heart surgery from the first team of cardiac doctors in the world – Dr. Alfred Blalock, Dr. Vivien Thomas, & Dr. Helen Taussig – at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and later was under the cardiac care of Dr. Roman DeSanctis at Mass General Hospital. The Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt has since saved tens of thousands of lives. Though his illness didn't allow him to participate in many activities with the Boy Scouts as a young man, he became a leader of Boy Scout Troop 570, supporting his son's Eagle Scout journey, earning the Silver Beaver Award for his service, and helping to run the Wood Badge course for adult scout leaders. At St. Stanislaus Parish, Tom served in many capacities from an altar boy to an usher, and volunteered to set up countless audio-visual systems, in both the school and the church, over the years. As a local businessman, Tom was an active member of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, and the Fireball Club, which created and managed the annual Chicopee Kielbasa Festival for nearly 3 decades. He also proudly served on the Chicopee Savings Board of Investment, encouraging growth in the city he loved so much. Tom never stopped puttering and tinkering. If you knew him, chances are he fixed something for you. Besides his expertise in electronics, Tom was also a master mechanic, and loved his 1973 Triumph and his infamous "Blue Jeep." He loved sharing all of his hobbies with his grandsons. Tom is survived by his wife of 57 years, Frances (Jankowski) Bardon, their children, Andrew Bardon and his partner, Charlene, of W. Hartford, CT, and Julie Knodler, of W. Springfield, as well as his two grandsons, Marcus and Brian Knodler. Tom also leaves his best friend, Richard Balakier. Together, Tom and Dick were not only Chicopee businessmen, they were also successful bluefin tuna fishing partners, who could easily hold their own against the cast from "Wicked Tuna," with multiple 1000lb catches on their boat, "Murphy's Law." Funeral services for Tom will be held on Monday, September 9, 2024, at Corridan Funeral Home, 333 Springfield St. Chicopee, beginning at 9:00am. A Funeral Mass will take place at 10:00 in the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, 566 Front St. Chicopee, with burial immediately following in St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 8, from 2:00 to 5:00pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Tom's name can be made to the DeSanctis Cardiac Fellowship Fund AT Mass General Hospital, c/o Rachel Mastone, MGH Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 or https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate/roman-desanctis. To share a memory or leave your condolences for the family, please visit www.CorridanFuneral.com