THOMAS EDWARD NILES

1960 - 2017

NILES, Thomas Edward Thomas Edward Niles of Wellesley, MA, formerly of Needham, MA, passed away unexpectedly on May 17th. Tommy is survived by his sons, Aaron, Benjamin and Caleb of Needham and their mother, Susan Niles; his fiancee, Katie Swenson and her daughters, Sophie, Olivia and Bliss of Wellesley; his four older siblings, Peter Niles (Nancy), Marguerite Grieco (Brien), Connie Alford (Kevin), Mary Jane Niles (John Higgins); and his nieces and nephews, Adrienne Kinkade, Alex Grieco, Daniel Millen, and Connor Alford. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mary Jane Furey Niles and Glenn Harding Niles. Tommy was born on May 25, 1960 in Elmira, New York, the youngest of five children. He attended Elmira Free Academy High School, where he excelled in football, baseball and basketball. As a senior, he was named Class Athlete and received the Ernie Davis Award, which was especially meaningful because Davis, also a graduate of Elmira Free Academy and the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, was an idol for Tommy. Football was his passion. He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Rhode Island, where he received the Scholar Athlete Award. His love for the game provided him with a family of friends who remained dear to him throughout his life. Known for his sharp intellect and far-reaching love of history, science, math and philosophy, he graduated in 1984 with a degree in civil engineering and was awarded Tau Beta Pi honors from the National Engineering Honors Society. While at URI, Tommy completed ROTC and was commissioned in the United States Army in 1983 as a 2nd lieutenant. He served as a Company Commander in the Army National Guard and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal. He served as a troop commander in Italy and Croatia. While in the service, Tommy relished in the opportunity to travel Europe, particularly in and around Venice. He retired from the service in 1991 as a Captain. Tommy married Susan Hylka and moved to Needham where he raised his beloved sons, Aaron, Ben and Caleb. He coached his sons and many Needham boys in Pop Warner Football, Little League Baseball, and even hockey, despite not having played the game himself. He built rinks in his backyard and hosted many beautiful days of skating, sometimes with music or a movie projector. In college, he was a lifeguard for the Town of Nantucket and later realized his dream of building a home there, where his children enjoyed many magical summers. He had enormous love for each of his sons and treasured being their father. Tommy started his career in real estate and development in Providence in 1983, building transformative urban projects across the country. He joined Trammell Crow Company in Boston in 1989. As a Principal, he was responsible for developing commercial, hotel and retail assets, including the award-winning conversion and rehabilitation of the Batterymarch Hilton Hotel, a historic 1929 Art-Deco tower. Tommy joined NeXcomm Capital Partners in 2000, where he was responsible for real estate acquisitions and development. In 2002, he founded NPV Development where his projects included Waterplace Park in Providence. In 2004, he partnered with CV Properties to develop American Brewery Lofts, a 79-unit historic restoration in Boston. He continued to team with CV Properties to oversee numerous developments, many of them renovations of cherished historic properties. Tommy was also deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of others. He was especially devoted to the South Shore YMCA, and was named to the Chairman's Roundtable in recognition for his visionary stewardship of the design and completion of an innovative new building which nurtures the rich diversity and inclusive spirit of the Quincy community. On March 11, 2015, he met Katie Swenson and began a rich and loving new chapter in his life. He later told Katie that this day "led to many of the happiest days of my life." Grounded in unwavering love and support for each other and their shared commitment to their six children, they experienced a love that touched and inspired the many people in their lives. Tommy embraced Katie's daughters as his own, and they in turn opened their hearts to his infectious smile and irresistible kindness. Tommy was engaged to Katie, the love of his life, on April 4, 2016 and they were to be married on July 22, 2017. Despite his excellent health, Tommy suffered a heart attack on the early morning of May 17th. Katie and his cherished sons were by his side. Everyone who knew Tommy was blessed to be his friend. Everyone was touched by his grace and love. He was a gentle soul who made you feel welcome and at ease. He was kind and principled, and he had a curiosity and delight for the world around him. Most of all, he cherished and was incredibly proud of all of his children. He will be deeply missed. Visiting hours will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home, 1351 Highland Ave., NEEDHAM, on Monday, May 22nd, from 4-8 pm. A funeral service will be held in the Wellesley Congregational Church (The Village Church), 2 Central St., Wellesley, on Tuesday at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tommy's memory to the South Shore YMCA, https://give.ssymca.org/Tom-Niles or the Equal Justice Initiative, eji.org. For obit, directions or to share a memory of Tommy, please visit www.eatonfueralhomes.com Eaton Funeral Home 781-444-0201